Simplify Form FL-100 | Add Custody Requests Fast (CA)

California court Form FL-100 has a lot of elements. Child custody and visitation terms can get lost among the other family law matters covered.

Make your child custody and visitation arrangements clear and convincing by attaching a parenting plan to FL-100.

As an added benefit, you'll get to skip four attachment forms.

What is FL-100?

FL-100 (standing for "family law 100") is the form you use to ask the court for a divorce or legal separation. It covers details about your marriage and children, as well as the family law matters you want the court to decide, like custody and visitation. You file it when you open your case.

Once you file your form with the court and serve it to the other parent, the next step in the court process is an orientation or mediation.

FL-100 is required for every divorce and legal separation case. You must attach forms FL-105 and FL-110 to it. But many of the child custody attachments are optional and can be replaced with a parenting plan.

Adding custody details to FL-100 quickly

Don't limit your custody and visitation requests to the vague section on FL-100. Use a parenting plan to explain the details of your ideal custody arrangement.

The Custody X Change parenting plan template guides you to create this document quickly.

Detail your sole or joint legal custody arrangement by perusing over 100 provision categories. Specify who can make which decisions, whether you'll try mediation when you can't agree and more.

Custody X Change also guides you to build a visual custody calendar for sole or joint physical custody in minutes — including arrangements for holidays.

Attach your completed Custody X Change parenting plan to form FL-100 to show the court your organized custody requests.

On the FL-100 form, in section 6, check whom you want to have legal and physical custody: the petitioner (you), the respondent (the other parent), both or someone else. If a parent won't get physical custody, check whether they should get visitation time.

Then mark "Attachment 6c(1)" to indicate you're detailing custody and visitation in a parenting plan. Write "Attachment 6c(1)" at the top of your plan.

Then you can skip FL-311 and all the FL-341 forms listed. If you're worried that the other parent may abduct your child, you may still need FL-312.

Why attach a parenting plan

Beyond being easier to fill out than a series of court forms, a Custody X Change parenting plan:

• Comes with a digital custody calendar: Get notifications about exchanges and calculate your parenting time. Written and visual versions of the calendar appear in your plan.
• Gives you clear parenting guidance after your case: When questions arise, like how far you can take your child without your co-parent's permission, find the answers easily in your plan.
• Helps you think through important details: The plan template suggests hundreds of popular parenting rules that you may not have thought to include.
• Allows for customization: Add as many unique-to-your-family rules as you like.

Other tips for using FL-100

• To file for divorce, you or your spouse must have lived in California for at least six months and in the county where you're filing for at least three months.
• As long as you mark box 5a(1) for "irreconcilable differences," you won't have to show evidence to get a divorce. But if you can't agree on custody, you will eventually need to present evidence in favor of your custody proposal.
• You'll have to pay around $450 to open your case. If you can't afford this, you can apply for a fee waiver.
• Make at least two copies of your completed FL-100 form and any attachments, including your parenting plan.
• Serve FL-100 and other required documents (e.g., your parenting plan) on the other parent. You can't proceed to a custody hearing until you do so.

Making a parenting plan with Custody X Change

The Custody X Change online app helps you make a thorough parenting plan quickly.

It walks you through common parenting rules you can include.

And it helps you create a custody schedule, complete with holidays and school breaks.

With Custody X Change, you can also journal about updates in your situation, store your children's information, track expenses, and more.

Custody X Change makes co-parenting simple for California parents.