Child Custody and Visitation in Colusa County, California

File custody cases in Colusa County at the Colusa County Superior Court, 547 Market Street in the city of Colusa. The court handles family law matters for Colusa, Williams, and the rest of this Sacramento Valley county through the Superior Court of California, County of Colusa. Family law services, including the self-help center and the court mediator, are in the Courthouse Annex at the same address.

A custody request is usually part of a divorce, legal separation, or parentage case for parents who were never married. After the case is opened, either parent may ask for custody and visitation orders with Form FL-300, Request for Order, and the FL-311 attachment. Family Code section 3011 requires the judge to consider each parent's ability to provide a safe, stable home and to apply the best interest of the child standard without favoring either parent's gender.

Colusa County requires mediation before a contested custody hearing under Family Code section 3170. It is also a recommending county. Local Rule 14.02 allows the court's mediator to give the judge a recommendation on custody or visitation if the parents cannot agree. Before the court schedules mediation, both parents must submit a completed Child Custody Mediation Intake Form, available in English or Spanish.

Colusa County uses an approved Electronic Filing Service Provider for e-filing instead of its own portal. Self-represented parties may still file on paper at the Colusa courthouse.

Where custody cases are heard in Colusa County

Custody and visitation matters in Colusa County are handled by the Superior Court of California, County of Colusa, with the county seat in Colusa. 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 Colusa County Superior Court (official California Courts finder)

How custody is decided in California

California uses the same statewide rules in every county, including Colusa 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 Colusa County.

Local notes for Colusa County

Colusa County's family law services, including the self-help center and the court mediator, are in the Courthouse Annex at 547 Market Street. The office is open Monday through Wednesday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and closes for lunch from noon to 1:00 p.m. The court mediator's office hours are Mondays during that same time, so plan your mediation intake and appointment with that schedule in mind.

Because Colusa is a recommending mediation county, the process can affect what the judge receives. If you and the other parent do not reach an agreement during mediation, the mediator may send the judge a specific recommendation on custody and visitation. That is different from a purely confidential county. Submit your intake form as soon as you can because the court will not schedule an appointment until both parents complete it.

The Family Law Facilitator, Irma Santana, is available during the same Monday through Wednesday hours to help with child support and paternity paperwork. The facilitator does not give custody and visitation advice or provide divorce representation. If domestic violence is part of your case, a DV restraining order (Forms DV-100 and DV-110) can include temporary custody terms while the case is pending. Call 911 in an emergency. The National Domestic Violence Hotline, 1-800-799-7233, is available 24 hours a day.

Official custody resources in Colusa County

Colusa County Superior Court handles custody filings, located at 547 Market Street, Colusa 95932. Phone: (530) 458-5149. Colusa County Courthouse Annex (Family Law Facilitator, Self-Help Center, Court Mediator) at 547 Market Street handles Family law facilitator services, self-help assistance, and court mediation.

The filing fee is $60. E-filing is available. Colusa County requires filing through an approved Electronic Filing Service Provider rather than a single court-run portal. E-filing is optional for self-represented parties, who may file on paper instead.

Colusa County Self-Help Center (https://www.colusa.courts.ca.gov/self-help) can help with procedure and paperwork. Located at the Courthouse Annex, 547 Market Street, Colusa. Open Monday through Wednesday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., closed for lunch noon to 1:00 p.m. Call (530) 458-0598 or email self-help@colusa.courts.ca.gov. Walk-ins accepted, no income eligibility requirement. Local Rule 14.02, Recommendations of Mediator (Colusa County Superior Court Local Rules (amended effective July 1, 2015)) applies; see https://www.colusa.courts.ca.gov/system/files?file=local-rules-15-final.pdf.

• Colusa County Superior Court Family Law
• Colusa County Court Mediator
• Colusa County Self-Help
• Colusa County E-Filing

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

Colusa County Child Custody FAQs