Family Court Services

Family Court Services provides (a) a mediation program for families with custody and visitation disputes, (b) a supervised visitation program for non-custodial parents.

Family Court Services also processes child support cases filed by the Department of Child Support Services.

The Family Law Facilitator/Self-Help Attorney provides assistance for self-represented litigants in family law, parentage, and child support cases.

Child Custody and Visitation

By law, all matters pertaining to child custody or visitation disputes must be heard in mediation before the court may render a decision.  When a case that involves those issues is filed, both an orientation session and a mediation session are automatically scheduled at Family Court Services.

The Family Court Services Division, located at the Richard A. Schoenig Annex, provides orientation, mediation, and investigations for all contested child custody and visitation disputes in Yuba County.  The objective is to assure the child(ren) have frequent and continuing contact with both parents when they no longer live together. 

Mediation is for parents only, with no other parties (such as attorneys, new spouse, or fiancé) present, except that when there are allegations of Domestic Violence, a support person for the alleged victim may be present in the room but may not comment.

If an agreement is not reached through mediation, the mediator is authorized to make a recommendation to the Court.

About Mediation

The purpose of mediation is to assist separated or divorcing parents in reaching a parenting plan for sharing their child(ren).

During the mediation, parents communicate to the mediator their ideas as to appropriate custody and visitation schedules that will be in the best interest of their child(ren).

The mediator will not impose an agreement on the parents (the mediator is not a judge).  The mediator will intervene when the ideas of parents are in conflict of promoting an agreement between the parents for sharing their child(ren).

Parties do not have to reach an agreement in mediation; they are entitled by law to a hearing before a judge if necessary.

Either party can request the mediation process stop at any time.

The mediator will be impartial at all times and present only professional points of view to the clients.  The mediator will not give legal advice to either party.

Child-Custody Investigations

If there are concerns regarding the health or safety  of the child(ren), the judge may choose to order a child-custody investigation by the Family Court Services Division.