Request for Order Hearings in Bakersfield and Kern County, California

In Kern County, file a Request for Order (RFO) with the Family Law Division of the Superior Court of California, County of Kern, at 1215 Truxtun Avenue in Bakersfield. Use this form to ask a judge for a hearing about issues in an existing family law case, such as child custody, visitation, child support, spousal support, or other orders. Under the county's local rules, the clerk gives you a hearing date when you submit the Request for Order for filing. You will usually know the hearing date before you leave the counter or finish an e-filing submission.

Kern County covers a large area, from the Bakersfield metro area to high desert communities like Ridgecrest. Family law cases are handled through the Metropolitan Division's Family Law Department in Bakersfield. After your hearing date is set, California statewide rules control notice and response deadlines in every county. California Rules of Court, rule 5.92 requires the other party to be served with your Request for Order at least 16 court days before the hearing. That party has until 9 court days before the hearing to file a written response using Form FL-320.

If your Request for Order involves a contested child custody or visitation dispute, Kern County requires both parents to attend mediation through Family Court Services before the judge decides those issues. Kern's mediation is confidential. The mediator does not report a recommendation to the judge. This is different from counties that use a recommending model. Both parents are also expected to complete the Children First Online Program before the mediation appointment.

Self-represented parties in Kern County can get help with RFO paperwork through the court's Self-Help Center. The center helps with forms for custody, visitation, and child support requests. Staff cannot tell you what to say on your forms or how a judge might rule. Complete and accurate paperwork, plus confirming your hearing date and department before you go, can help you avoid a continuance.

Where hearings are held in Kern County

Family court hearings in Kern County are held at the Superior Court of California, County of Kern, with the county seat in Bakersfield. Because courtroom assignments, remote appearance options, and local procedures change over time, use the official California Courts court finder to confirm current details:

Find the Kern County Superior Court (official California Courts finder)

How a family court hearing works in California

In California, a party who wants the court to decide something while a case is pending, such as temporary custody, support, or attorney's fees, files a Request for Order (Form FL-300). The core steps are:

1. File the Request for Order (Form FL-300) with a supporting declaration and, if support or fees are at issue, an Income and Expense Declaration (Form FL-150).
2. Serve the other party by the deadline the court sets, generally at least 16 court days before the hearing (California Rules of Court, rule 5.92).
3. The responding party can file a responsive declaration, generally at least 9 court days before the hearing.
4. Attend Family Court Services mediation first if custody or visitation is contested.
5. Attend the hearing; some courts issue tentative rulings in advance, and some allow remote appearance by video or phone.

Local notes for Kern County

The filing fee to submit a standard Request for Order in Kern County is $60, consistent with the statewide fee under Government Code section 70617(a). If you cannot afford the fee, you can ask the court to waive it using Form FW-001. The court decides the fee waiver request before your RFO moves forward. E-filing through the Odyssey eFileCA system has been mandatory for attorneys on family law filings since March 2020. Self-represented parties can still file in person, by mail, or online at their choice.

Remote appearances at RFO hearings in Kern County use CourtCall, not Zoom. The court made this change in September 2024. Under Local Rule 6.3.5, you can appear remotely for most family law hearings, including RFOs, without giving the court advance notice. You do this through CourtCall using the instructions on the court's website. The assigned judicial officer can still require you to appear in person for a specific hearing. Remote appearance rules are different for evidentiary hearings or trial.

Kern's local rules include a formal meet and confer requirement, but it applies to matters on the Title IV-D child support agency calendar. In those matters, the parties meet with a representative of the local child support agency before the hearing to narrow the issues. No general meet and confer rule for ordinary custody or support RFOs was found in the local rules. If your case does not involve the child support agency, expect the standard notice and response timeline instead of an extra pre-hearing conference step.

Official hearing resources in Kern County

Superior Court of California, County of Kern, Family Law Division handles hearings filings, located at 1215 Truxtun Avenue, Bakersfield 93301. Phone: (661) 610-6518.

The filing fee is $435. E-filing is available through https://www.kern.courts.ca.gov/forms-filing. E-filing through the Odyssey eFileCA system has been mandatory for attorneys in family law filings since March 2, 2020. Self-represented parties are not required to e-file but are encouraged to.

Kern County Self-Help Center (https://www.kern.courts.ca.gov/self-help/families-children) can help with procedure and paperwork. Helps self-represented parties prepare Requests for Order for child custody, visitation, and child support. Open Monday through Thursday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Friday 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Local Rule 6.1.3 (Obtaining a Hearing Date) applies; see https://www.kern.courts.ca.gov/system/files/local-rules/local-rules-court-effective-july-1-2025.pdf. Local Rule 6.3.5 (Remote Court Appearances) applies; see https://www.kern.courts.ca.gov/system/files/local-rules/local-rules-court-effective-july-1-2025.pdf. Local Rule 6.17.1 (Meet and Confer Requirement (Title IV-D support calendar)) applies; see https://www.kern.courts.ca.gov/system/files/local-rules/local-rules-court-effective-july-1-2025.pdf.

• Kern County Superior Court, Family Court Services
• Kern County Family Court Mediation
• Kern County Remote Hearings (CourtCall)
• Kern County Superior Court Local Rules of Court
• Kern County Self-Help Center, Families & Children
• California Rules of Court, rule 5.92

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

Kern County RFO Hearing FAQs