Child Custody and Visitation in Lake County, California

Custody cases in Lake County are filed and heard at the Lakeport Courthouse, 255 North Forbes Street, in Lakeport, the county seat, through the Superior Court of California, County of Lake. The smaller Clearlake Branch handles traffic, small claims, and similar matters. It also houses the Family Law Facilitator's self-help office, but custody filings go through Lakeport.

A custody request is part of a divorce, a legal separation, or, for parents who were never married, a parentage case. After the case is open, either parent can ask for custody and visitation orders using Form FL-300, Request for Order, with the FL-311 attachment. Family Code section 3011 requires the judge to decide based on the best interest of the child. The judge weighs factors like each parent's ability to provide a safe, stable home, with no preference based on either parent's gender.

Lake County Superior Court describes itself directly as a confidential, non-recommending court for custody mediation. Mediators do not tell the judge what either parent said in mediation, and they do not recommend a specific custody or visitation outcome. A mediator can still suggest that the child be appointed separate counsel or that the case go to a formal evaluation. Family Code section 3170 requires this mediation before a judge will hear a contested custody dispute. Lake County normally requires a Mediation Orientation class first, though the court's own page currently lists that class as suspended, so confirm its status before your appointment.

For electronic filing, Lake County requires an approved third-party Electronic Filing Service Provider rather than a court-run portal. Paper filing at the Lakeport Courthouse remains available.

Where custody cases are heard in Lake County

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

How custody is decided in California

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

Local notes for Lake County

Custody filings and hearings for Lake County families, whether near Clearlake, Lakeport, or the smaller lakeside communities between them, go through the Lakeport Courthouse at 255 North Forbes Street. The Clearlake Branch is closer for many residents, but it does not handle family law filings directly. Plan your trip to Lakeport for court dates.

Because Lake County's mediation is confidential and non-recommending, a mediator will not tell the judge how to rule if you and the other parent disagree. Unresolved issues go to the judge for a decision at the hearing itself, based on the evidence presented. Referral to Family Court Services mediation happens through the court, and sessions are generally scheduled to occur within about two weeks of your scheduled return-to-court date.

Lake County does not run its own e-filing system. If you plan to file electronically, budget time to set up an account with an approved provider such as One Legal, or plan to file on paper at the Lakeport Courthouse instead. If domestic violence is part of your situation, 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 Lake County

Lakeport Courthouse (Superior Court of California, County of Lake) handles custody filings, located at 255 North Forbes Street, 4th Floor, Room 417, Lakeport 95453. Phone: (707) 263-2374. Clearlake Branch at 7000-A South Center Drive handles Traffic, small claims, limited civil, unlawful detainer, and DCSS matters; also houses the Family Law Facilitator self-help office, but is not the family law filing location.

The filing fee is $60. E-filing is available through https://lake.courts.ca.gov/efiling. Lake County does not run its own e-filing portal directly; filers must use one of over 100 approved third-party Electronic Filing Service Providers, such as One Legal. Paper filing remains available for those who prefer it.

Lake County Self-Help Center (https://lake.courts.ca.gov/self-help) can help with procedure and paperwork. Reach self-help through the court's self-help page or by calling the Lakeport Courthouse main line, (707) 263-2374. The Family Law Facilitator's office is physically located at the Clearlake Branch.

• Lake County Child Custody Mediation
• Lake County Self-Help
• Lakeport Courthouse
• Lake County eFiling

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

Lake County Child Custody FAQs