Child Custody and Visitation in Glenn County, California

Custody cases in Glenn County are filed at the Glenn County Superior Court, 526 West Sycamore Street in Willows, the county seat. This court handles family law cases for Willows, Orland, and the rest of the county through the Superior Court of California, County of Glenn. Since January 1, 2026, Glenn County's local rules have required electronic filing for family law matters. This is a major difference from many nearby small counties that still use paper filing as the main method.

A custody request can be 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 by filing Form FL-300, Request for Order, with the FL-311 attachment. Family Code section 3011 tells the judge to decide based on the best interest of the child. The judge looks at issues such as each parent's ability to provide a stable, safe home, without favoring either parent's gender.

Glenn County uses recommending custody mediation under the mandatory mediation rule in Family Code section 3170. The court runs its own Child Custody Recommending Counseling program. If parents do not reach an agreement, the mediator's report and recommendation go to the judge and help shape the ruling. This is different from a confidential county, where the mediator cannot recommend an outcome. Before mediation, parents must complete a required orientation at least five days before the appointment. The orientation includes a roughly 30-minute video, an orientation packet, and intake forms.

Glenn County's Family Law Facilitator can help with support-related paperwork by appointment. Custody mediation is handled separately through the CCRC program described above.

Where custody cases are heard in Glenn County

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

How custody is decided in California

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

Local notes for Glenn County

All Glenn County custody filings go to the Glenn County Superior Court, 526 West Sycamore Street, Willows. E-filing is now mandatory under the county's local rules effective January 1, 2026. If you do not have an e-filing account and are representing yourself, ask the clerk's office how to file, since paper filing exceptions do exist statewide.

Because Glenn is a recommending mediation county, plan early for the required orientation and the mediation session. The orientation must be finished at least five days before your appointment. Leave enough time before your scheduled hearing date. The Self-Help Center, run through the SHARP program, has limited hours on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday mornings and early afternoons. Services are available in English and Spanish.

Remote appearances are available in Glenn County by Zoom for video or CourtCall for phone hearings. This can help people who must travel long distances to Willows. If domestic violence is part of your case, a DV restraining order (Forms DV-100 and DV-110) can include temporary custody terms. The court also allows separate mediation sessions or a support person for parties with a DV history. Call 911 in an emergency. The National Domestic Violence Hotline, 1-800-799-7233, is available 24 hours a day.

Official custody resources in Glenn County

Glenn County Superior Court handles custody filings, located at 526 West Sycamore Street, Willows 95988. Phone: (530) 934-6446.

The filing fee is $60. E-filing is available through https://www.odysseyefileca.com/. Glenn County uses the Odyssey eFileCA network of authorized Electronic Filing Service Providers. As of January 1, 2026, the county's local rules make electronic filing mandatory for family law matters; confirm current exceptions for self-represented parties with the clerk's office.

Glenn County Self-Help Center (SHARP) (https://www.glenn.courts.ca.gov/self-help) can help with procedure and paperwork. Located at 526 West Sycamore Street, Willows. Open Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, 9:00 a.m. to noon and 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., walk-ins accepted. Call (530) 934-7114. Services offered in English and Spanish. Local Rules of Court, effective January 1, 2026 (Glenn County Superior Court Local Rules) applies; see https://www.glenn.courts.ca.gov/system/files/forms-and-filings/glenn-county-local-rules-court-effective-1-1-2026.pdf.

• Glenn County Mediation and Child Custody Recommending Counseling
• Glenn County Self-Help Center
• Glenn County Family Law Facilitator
• Odyssey eFileCA

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

Glenn County Child Custody FAQs