Child Custody and Visitation in Solano County, California

Solano County sits between the Bay Area and Sacramento, with Vallejo as its largest city and Fairfield serving as the county seat, along with Vacaville, Suisun City, and Benicia. A custody dispute anywhere in Solano County is heard by the Superior Court of California, County of Solano, in Fairfield.

Custody law works identically across California, including in Solano County. Legal custody is about the authority to make major decisions for a child, covering things like schooling and medical care, while physical custody is about where the child lives. Both can be joint, shared by the parents, or sole, awarded to just one, and the court's decision turns entirely on the best interest of the child, with no preference given based on a parent's gender.

Solano County custody matters can be raised within a divorce or legal separation, or, for parents who were never married, by first establishing parentage. Every parent uses the same set of statewide Judicial Council forms, so the details that are specific to Solano County are procedural rather than substantive, namely which courthouse and department handle your case and how local mediation appointments are set.

Parents who can agree on the terms of legal and physical custody can write up a parenting plan and submit it for a judge to sign without going through a contested hearing. That agreed route is typically much quicker, and Solano County provides self-help resources for parents preparing their own paperwork toward that outcome.

Where custody cases are heard in Solano County

Custody and visitation matters in Solano County are handled by the Superior Court of California, County of Solano, with the county seat in Fairfield. Because courthouse locations, hours, and the local Family Court Services or Child Custody Recommending Counseling program 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 Solano County Superior Court (official California Courts finder)

How custody is decided in California

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

Local notes for Solano County

Solano County's family law filings go through the Fairfield courthouse, but confirm the specific location and any department assignment for your case using the official California Courts court finder, especially since Solano spans several distinct cities from Vallejo to Vacaville.

Solano County follows the statewide rule that parents in a contested custody or visitation dispute must attend child custody mediation through Family Court Services before a judge rules. The county's self-help center supports self-represented parents with the required forms and procedure, though it cannot offer legal advice tailored to your case.

Where domestic violence is a concern, a domestic violence restraining order (Forms DV-100 and DV-110) can include temporary custody arrangements while the case is pending. Call 911 in an emergency, and the National Domestic Violence Hotline, 1-800-799-7233, is staffed twenty four hours a day, every day.

Solano County Child Custody FAQs