Child Custody and Visitation in Mendocino County, California

Custody cases in Mendocino County are filed through the Superior Court of California, County of Mendocino, at the Mendocino County Courthouse, 100 North State Street, in Ukiah, the county seat. The county also has the Ten Mile Branch Courthouse in Fort Bragg. Coastal residents should confirm which location and mediation schedule apply to their case before filing.

A custody request is 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 child's best interest. The judge weighs factors such as each parent's ability to provide a safe, stable home, with no preference based on either parent's gender.

Mendocino County is a confidential, non-recommending county under Family Code section 3170's mediation requirement. The court's Family Mediation page says mediators do not make recommendations or write reports to the court if parents cannot agree on a parenting plan. Instead, the case goes to a contested hearing, and the judge decides. Mediation is free for eligible families. It is limited to the parents themselves and can happen by Zoom, by phone, or in person. An orientation session is required before mediation begins, and Local Rule 4.9(b) also requires parents to complete a parenting workshop, such as the Triple P program.

Mendocino County accepts e-filing through approved Electronic Filing Service Providers under the statewide Odyssey eFileCA network. Self-represented parties may still file on paper.

Where custody cases are heard in Mendocino County

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

How custody is decided in California

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

Local notes for Mendocino County

Mendocino County includes the coast at Fort Bragg and inland communities around Ukiah and Willits. Before you file, confirm which courthouse and mediation schedule apply to your custody case by using the court's location pages or by calling (707) 468-2001.

Mendocino's mediation is confidential. The county requires an orientation before your mediation session and a separate parenting workshop under Local Rule 4.9(b). Plan for both steps once a contested custody or visitation issue comes up. Mediation can take place by Zoom, by phone, or in person. It is limited to the parents, so children, grandparents, and new partners should not attend.

The Self-Help Center in Ukiah offers weekday morning and afternoon hours. Fort Bragg residents can use a Monday Zoom drop-in session instead of traveling to Ukiah. If domestic violence is part of your case, a DV restraining order (Forms DV-100 and DV-110) can include temporary custody terms. Ex parte emergency requests are reviewed daily from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Call 911 in an emergency. The National Domestic Violence Hotline, 1-800-799-7233, is available 24 hours a day.

Official custody resources in Mendocino County

Mendocino County Courthouse (Superior Court of California, County of Mendocino) handles custody filings, located at 100 North State Street, Ukiah 95482. Phone: (707) 468-2001. Ten Mile Branch Courthouse at 700 South Franklin Street handles Family law services are also offered remotely from this branch, including Monday self-help drop-in by Zoom.

The filing fee is $60. E-filing is available through http://www.odysseyefileca.com/service-providers.htm. Mendocino County uses approved Electronic Filing Service Providers through Odyssey eFileCA. E-filing is optional for self-represented parties, who may still file on paper.

Mendocino County Self-Help Center (https://www.mendocino.courts.ca.gov/self_help/SHLA.html) can help with procedure and paperwork. Located in Room 304 at the Ukiah courthouse, open Monday through Thursday, 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., walk-ins welcome. Fort Bragg residents can join a Zoom drop-in on Mondays, 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Call (707) 468-2020. Services offered in English and Spanish. Local Rule 4.9(b), mediation and parenting workshop requirement (Mendocino County Superior Court Local Rules) applies; see https://www.mendocino.courts.ca.gov/divisions/family/family-mediation.

• Mendocino County Superior Court Family Division
• Mendocino County Family Mediation
• Mendocino County Self-Help
• Mendocino County E-Filing

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

Mendocino County Child Custody FAQs