Child Custody and Visitation in Mariposa County, California

Custody cases in Mariposa County are filed and heard at the Mariposa County Historic Courthouse, 5088 Bullion Street, in the town of Mariposa, through the Superior Court of California, County of Mariposa. Mariposa is both the county seat and the county's main population center. One courthouse handles family law matters for the whole county, which also serves as a gateway community to Yosemite National Park.

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 may ask for custody and visitation orders by using 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 weighs facts such as each parent's ability to provide a safe, stable home, and the judge may not favor either parent based on gender.

Mariposa County is a recommending county under Family Code section 3170's mediation requirement. It also runs its own in-house Child Custody Recommending Counseling program. The counselor's own page says that when parents do not agree, the counselor sends recommendations to both the parents and the court based on the children's best interest. The court sets the date and time for the appointment. Parents do not schedule it themselves. Each parent attends alone, with only a silent support person allowed.

Mariposa County's Self-Help Center building is currently closed. Remote help by phone or email is still available for form and procedure questions about custody, divorce, and restraining orders.

Where custody cases are heard in Mariposa County

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

How custody is decided in California

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

Local notes for Mariposa County

Mariposa has one incorporated town and one courthouse, so filing location is simple: everything goes through the Historic Courthouse at 5088 Bullion Street. Because the county is a Yosemite gateway and has rural geography, confirm current hours before you travel.

For mediation, the court sets the date and time of your Child Custody Recommending Counseling appointment. You do not set it yourself. Each parent attends that session alone, except for a silent support person. If you and the other parent disagree, the counselor can send a specific recommendation to the judge, so know how the process works before you go.

Because the Self-Help Center's physical office is closed, plan to contact staff by phone at (209) 742-5322 or by email at selfhelpcenter@mariposacourt.org for help with custody forms. Confirm whether any in-person option has reopened before you plan to visit. 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 Mariposa County

Mariposa County Historic Courthouse (Superior Court of California, County of Mariposa) handles custody filings, located at 5088 Bullion Street, Mariposa 95338. Phone: (209) 966-6599.

The filing fee is $60. No e-filing platform or portal was found published for Mariposa County family law cases; self-represented parties file on paper. Confirm current options and any e-filing exemption process with the clerk's office.

Mariposa County Self-Help Center (https://mariposa.courts.ca.gov/family-law/) can help with procedure and paperwork. The Self-Help Center's physical location at 5092 Jones Street is currently closed, with remote assistance available by phone at (209) 742-5322 or email at selfhelpcenter@mariposacourt.org. Services cover divorce, custody and visitation, and restraining order paperwork. Local Rules of Court (effective January 1, 2019) (Mariposa County Superior Court Local Rules) applies; see https://mariposa.courts.ca.gov/local-rules/.

• Mariposa County Superior Court Family Law
• Mariposa County Child Custody Recommending Counselor
• Mariposa County Local Rules of Court

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

Mariposa County Child Custody FAQs