Child Custody and Visitation in Alpine County, California

Alpine County families file custody cases with the Superior Court of California, County of Alpine, at the Markleeville courthouse. Alpine has no incorporated cities, so this one courthouse handles all family law matters in the county. Alpine is the least populous county in California. Its court does not have an in-house mediation program, so custody mediation is handled by referral instead of an appointment at the court.

A custody order may be part of a divorce, a legal separation, or, for parents who were never married, a parentage case that establishes the legal parent-child relationship. After a case is open, either parent may ask for custody and visitation orders with Form FL-300, Request for Order, and the FL-311 child custody and visitation attachment. California uses the best interest of the child standard under Family Code section 3011. The court looks at issues such as each parent's ability to provide a stable home, with no preference based on a parent's gender.

In a contested case, the parents disagree. Family Code section 3170 requires mediation before a judge holds a custody hearing. Alpine County sends this mediation to the El Dorado County Superior Court's South Lake Tahoe Branch, which provides Child Custody Recommending Counseling. This means the counselor may send a recommendation to the judge if the parents do not agree. That is not the same as a strictly confidential mediation process, so understand that before your appointment.

Alpine County does not offer e-filing for family law cases. You file custody papers at the Markleeville courthouse, by mail to P.O. Box 518, Markleeville, CA 96120, or by fax. Because the county is remote and has long mountain winters, allow extra travel time and confirm current hours before you go.

Where custody cases are heard in Alpine County

Custody and visitation matters in Alpine County are handled by the Superior Court of California, County of Alpine, with the county seat in Markleeville. Because courthouse locations, hours, and local Family Court Services or Child Custody Recommending Counseling programs change over time and can differ between branches, use the official California Courts court finder to confirm the current details for your case:

Find the Alpine County Superior Court (official California Courts finder)

How custody is decided in California

California uses the same statewide rules in every county, including Alpine County. Custody has two parts: legal custody (who makes major decisions about health, education, and welfare) and physical custody (where the child lives). Either can be joint (shared) or sole (one parent). Judges decide custody based on the best interest of the child, and California law does not favor a parent based on gender.

You can ask for custody orders inside a divorce or legal separation case, or, if the parents were never married, by first establishing parentage. The core steps are:

1. Open or use an existing case: a divorce (Form FL-100), a legal separation, or a parentage case (Form FL-200) for unmarried parents.
2. File a Request for Order (Form FL-300) with the custody and visitation attachment (Form FL-311) to ask the court for orders.
3. Serve the other parent and file a proof of service.
4. Attend the mandatory child custody mediation (Family Court Services), which California requires before a contested custody hearing.
5. Attend the hearing if you have not agreed, and receive the court's order (Form FL-341 series, Findings and Order After Hearing on Form FL-340).

There is no six-month waiting period for custody the way there is for a divorce to become final. Parents can also agree on a parenting plan and submit it as a stipulation for the judge to sign, which avoids a contested hearing entirely. If you and the other parent agree, that is almost always the faster and less costly path in Alpine County.

Local notes for Alpine County

Alpine County has one courthouse, so filing location is simple. All cases go through the Superior Court of California, County of Alpine, in Markleeville. Because the court has a small staff, call ahead to confirm hours and ask whether your paperwork can be reviewed before you travel. This matters more when you live far from the courthouse.

For mediation, Alpine County does not operate its own Family Court Services program. Cases are sent to El Dorado County's South Lake Tahoe Branch for Child Custody Recommending Counseling. The Alpine County Family Law Facilitator, serving Placerville and South Lake Tahoe, can help with forms tied to that referral. Confirm current scheduling and ask whether phone appointments are available by calling the Alpine courthouse at (530) 694-2113.

Self-represented parents handle most custody cases in Alpine County. The Self-Help Center can help with forms by phone or email, but staff cannot advise you on how your case should turn out. If domestic violence is involved, a DV restraining order, Forms DV-100 and DV-110, can include temporary custody terms while the case is pending. DV hearings in Alpine County are generally set for Monday afternoons. Call 911 in an emergency. The National Domestic Violence Hotline, 1-800-799-7233, is available 24 hours a day.

Official custody resources in Alpine County

Superior Court of California, County of Alpine handles custody filings, located at 14777 CA-89, Markleeville 96120. Phone: (530) 694-2113.

The filing fee is $60. Alpine County does not offer general e-filing for family law matters, including custody. Self-represented parties file in person, by mail, or by fax (max 20 pages, $1 per page). Electronic filing is available only for domestic violence and gun violence restraining order petitions.

Alpine County Superior Court Self-Help Center (https://www.alpine.courts.ca.gov/self-help) can help with procedure and paperwork. Assistance is primarily remote by phone or email, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Call (530) 545-1535 or email self-help@alpine.courts.ca.gov. Staff can help with forms but cannot give legal advice. Local Rules of Court (2024) (Alpine County Superior Court Local Rules and Standing Orders) applies; see https://www.alpine.courts.ca.gov/forms-filings/local-rules-standing-orders.

• Alpine County Superior Court Family Law
• Alpine County Superior Court Self-Help Center
• El Dorado County Child Custody Recommending Counseling
• Alpine County Local Rules and Standing Orders

Local details reviewed August 2026. Offices and locations can change, so confirm with the official sites above before you file.

Alpine County Child Custody FAQs