Child Custody and Visitation in Nevada County, California

Custody cases in Nevada County are filed in the Superior Court of California, County of Nevada, at the Nevada City Courthouse, 201 Church Street, in Nevada City, the county seat. The county also has a Truckee Courthouse near Lake Tahoe. Residents in that area should confirm which courthouse will handle their hearing because the county covers a long distance from Grass Valley to Truckee.

A custody request can be part of a divorce, legal separation, or, for parents who were never married, a parentage case. After the case is open, either parent may 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 use the best interest of the child standard. 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.

Nevada County is a recommending county under Family Code section 3170's mediation requirement and uses its own in-house Child Custody Recommending Counseling program. Local Rule 5.05(F)(4) says that if parents do not reach an agreement, the recommending counselor must prepare a written recommendation for the court, either on request or on the counselor's own initiative. The county's rules do not provide a separate confidential mediation track.

Nevada County requires e-filing for attorneys in civil cases. Self-represented parties may e-file, mail, or drop off documents in person at either courthouse.

Where custody cases are heard in Nevada County

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

How custody is decided in California

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

Local notes for Nevada County

Nevada County runs from Grass Valley and Nevada City over the mountains to Truckee near Lake Tahoe. Before you file or appear, confirm which courthouse serves your custody case by using the court's locations page or calling (530) 362-4309.

Nevada County is a recommending county. That means the CCRC counselor's written recommendation, prepared if you and the other parent do not reach agreement, goes to the judge and can affect the ruling. The Self-Help Center at the Nevada City courthouse has limited weekday hours. Truckee residents can use self-help services on the second Wednesday of each month.

Because Nevada County covers a wide geographic area, allow extra time for winter travel between the Sierra foothills and Tahoe-area communities. If domestic violence is part of your case, 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 Nevada County

Nevada City Courthouse (Superior Court of California, County of Nevada) handles custody filings, located at 201 Church Street, Nevada City 95959. Phone: (530) 362-4309. Truckee Courthouse (Joseph Government Center) at 10075 Levon Avenue handles Self-help services are offered at this location on the second Wednesday of each month, 9:00 a.m. to noon; confirm with the court whether your custody hearing is set here or in Nevada City.

The filing fee is $60. E-filing is available. E-filing is mandatory for attorneys on civil cases; self-represented parties may e-file, mail, or drop off documents in person.

Nevada County Self-Help Center (https://www.nevada.courts.ca.gov/general-information/locations-hours) can help with procedure and paperwork. Located at 201 Church Street, 1st Floor, Suite 9, Nevada City. Hours are Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., and Friday mornings only, 8:30 a.m. to noon. A Truckee session runs the second Wednesday of each month, 9:00 a.m. to noon. Local Rule 5.05(F)(4), Child Custody Recommending Counseling (Nevada County Superior Court Local Rules and Forms) applies; see https://www.nevada.courts.ca.gov/system/files/ccrcpolicy.pdf.

• Nevada County Child Custody Visitation
• Nevada County Family Law Division
• Nevada County Locations and Hours
• Nevada County CCRC Policy and Local Rule 5.05

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

Nevada County Child Custody FAQs