Child Custody and Visitation in Del Norte County, California

Custody cases in Del Norte County are filed at the Del Norte County Courthouse, 450 H Street, Room 209, in Crescent City. Crescent City is the county seat and only incorporated city. The case goes through the Superior Court of California, County of Del Norte. The county has one courthouse, so every custody filing and hearing is handled at this location.

A custody request is filed as part of a divorce, a legal separation, or a parentage case for parents who were never married. After the case is open, either parent can 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 decide what is in the best interest of the child. The judge weighs factors such as each parent's ability to provide a stable, safe home, with no preference based on either parent's gender.

Del Norte says on its court website that it is a non-recommending court. Its in-house mediator does not tell the judge what custody or parenting-time order to make. The mediator may still suggest a formal evaluation or ask that the child receive separate representation. Family Code section 3170 requires mediation before a judge hears a contested custody dispute, and Del Norte's mediator is currently reached by phone only.

Del Norte County does not offer e-filing for family law cases. Custody paperwork must be filed on paper at the courthouse. Self-represented parties must also have the court's Family Law Facilitator review their papers before they file them or present them to the judge.

Where custody cases are heard in Del Norte County

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

How custody is decided in California

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

Local notes for Del Norte County

Crescent City is Del Norte County's only incorporated city, and the courthouse is the county's only courthouse location. That means there is no choice of courthouse for your custody case. Everything goes through 450 H Street, Room 209. Because the county is on the remote coast, confirm current hours before you travel. The Self-Help Center and Family Law Facilitator are open Tuesday through Friday, not a full five-day week.

Del Norte's mediation is handled in-house by the court's mediator. The mediator is currently reached by phone at (707) 464-8115, extension 131, rather than through a walk-in office. Mediation is non-recommending, so the mediator will not tell the judge how to rule on custody. The mediator can still flag the case for a formal evaluation or the appointment of counsel for the children if concerns come up.

Del Norte County has a specific local requirement for self-represented parties. They must have their papers reviewed by the Family Law Facilitator before filing them or presenting them to the judge. Build that review step into your timeline. If domestic violence is part of your situation, a DV restraining order (Forms DV-100 and DV-110) can include temporary custody terms while your 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 Del Norte County

Del Norte County Courthouse (Superior Court of California, County of Del Norte) handles custody filings, located at 450 H Street, Room 209, Crescent City 95531. Phone: (707) 464-8115.

The filing fee is $60. Del Norte County does not offer e-filing for family law matters. Self-represented parties file on paper at the courthouse.

Del Norte County Self-Help Center (https://www.delnorte.courts.ca.gov/self-help) can help with procedure and paperwork. Located at 450 H Street in the Law Library, Crescent City. Walk-up, phone, and email hours are Tuesday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (closed noon to 1:00 p.m. for lunch). Call (707) 465-8634 or email selfhelp@delnorte.courts.ca.gov. Self-represented parties must have their papers reviewed by the Family Law Facilitator before filing or presenting them to the judge. Local Rules of Court, effective January 1, 2012 (including Standing Order 21-003 on filing deadlines) (Del Norte County Superior Court Local Rules) applies; see https://www.delnorte.courts.ca.gov/general-information/local-rules.

• Del Norte County Superior Court Family Law Division
• Del Norte County Self-Help Center
• Del Norte County Being Your Own Lawyer
• Del Norte County Local Rules

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

Del Norte County Child Custody FAQs