File for parentage without the $15,000 attorney.
You answer questions. Virdix picks and fills the forms.
Rejected by the clerk? We fix it free, guaranteed.
Rejected by the clerk? We fix it free, guaranteed.Start free. $79 once. Court filing fees separate.
What we do
Everything you need to file a parentage case is on Virdix.
You answer plain questions. Virdix completes the official forms your case needs, checks them the way a clerk would, and tells you where to file in your county. Starting is free.
About your children
Do you and the other parent have minor children together?
Let's get your parentage case started today.
Answer a few questions about your situation and your children. Your petition, summons, and any custody or support requests build themselves as you go, and you see previews of your completed documents before you pay anything.
Get startedIf a clerk rejects a document, we fix it free until it's accepted. Learn more
Why people choose Virdix
Documents ready instantly
Your forms are produced automatically as you answer. No waiting days for someone to prepare them, no mail, nothing to chase.
One flat price, upfront
Start free and see everything first. $79 once when your documents are ready ($349 after October 31). No retainers, no hourly billing, no hidden fees.
The forms that open a parentage case
Form FL-200, the Petition to Determine Parental Relationship, opens the case. Form FL-210, the Summons, formally notifies the other parent. When custody is part of the request, the FL-105 UCCJEA declaration is completed too.
Custody and support ride on the same case
Once parentage is established, custody, visitation, and child support can be requested inside that same case instead of separate filings started from scratch.
All 58 California counties
Filing instructions matched to your county's Superior Court, from your first form to your final order.
Rejected by the clerk? We fix it free, guaranteed
If a court clerk rejects a document we prepared, we fix it for free until it's accepted.
A case manager, included.
Answers your questions about the process and filing, and emails you when the review finds something.
"Virdix created my packet based on my answers and gave me a lot more clarity and confidence in filing the right things… the questions aligned more with what I needed."
Alicia, custody case, Los Angeles County
Real user feedback
How it works
We don't just give you forms. We walk you through the entire family court process, educating you along the way.
About your children
Do you and the other parent have minor children together?
Tell us about your case
Answer simple questions about your situation. We'll determine exactly what documents you need for your county.
About your children
Do you and the other parent have minor children together?
Build your documents
Use our guided builders for declarations, parenting plans, and settlement agreements. Our builders organize what happened into clear, complete documents.
Your words
on march 15 he kept the kids past the 6pm exchange time in our court order again and didn't answer either of my two calls
Court-ready version
On March 15, Respondent failed to return the children at the court-ordered exchange time of 6:00 p.m. and did not respond to my two phone calls.
AI Suggestion
Add the actual return time and any witnesses so your account is complete.
File and serve
Get step-by-step filing instructions for your courthouse. We guide you through serving the other party.
Complete your case
Navigate hearings, responses, and final judgments with guidance at every step until your case is resolved.
Compare your options
Three ways to handle a parentage case
- Petition, summons, and custody or support requests prepared together
- Documents produced instantly as you answer
- Guided builders for custody and support requests
- County-matched instructions from filing to final order
$79Once, when your documents are ready. Free to start.
Other online services
- Most focus on divorce paperwork, not parentage cases for unmarried parents
- Days, sometimes a week, before your forms come back
- No custody or support request support
- Just forms, no process guidance
$400 to $2,000Typical published rates. Most only handle divorce paperwork for spouses who already agree on everything.
Traditional attorney
- Retainers up front, then hourly billing
- Conflict escalates through opposing attorneys
- Scheduling delays can stretch for months
- You wait on someone else for every document
$5,000+Attorney-represented California family law cases commonly run $5,000 to $15,000.
File your parentage case without the $15,000 attorney.
Parentage case questions
What is a parentage case in California?+
A parentage case (sometimes called a paternity case) is a family court case that establishes who a child's legal parents are. It's a separate legal question from custody, visitation, or child support: a court generally can't order those things until legal parentage is established.
Who needs to open a parentage case?+
Parentage cases are most common for unmarried parents, since a child born during an existing marriage is usually already covered by California's marital presumption. If you and the other parent were never married and parentage isn't already on file through a signed Voluntary Declaration of Parentage, a court case is the path to establish it.
What forms start a California parentage case?+
A parentage case is opened with Form FL-200, the Petition to Determine Parental Relationship. The other parent is then formally notified using Form FL-210, the Summons. When the case includes a custody request, the FL-105 UCCJEA declaration is also required. All three are official California Judicial Council forms.
Can custody, visitation, and child support be requested in the same case?+
Yes. Once you've opened a parentage case, you can ask the court to also address custody, visitation, and child support as part of that same case, rather than filing separate cases for each issue.
Do I need a lawyer to file a parentage case?+
No. California allows self-representation in family court, including parentage cases. Virdix prepares your documents and gives you step-by-step filing instructions, but is not a law firm and does not give legal advice.
Is Virdix free for parentage cases?+
Starting your case and filling out your parentage forms is free, no credit card required. Watch your forms fill themselves in as you answer, and see the first page of every document free. A one time payment of $79 ($349 after October 31) unlocks your final court-ready packet when you're ready to file.
What a California parentage case is
A parentage case answers a threshold legal question before anything else about the child can be decided by a court.
What it establishes
- Who a child's legal parents are, most commonly for unmarried parents
- The legal basis for later custody and visitation orders
- The legal basis for a child support order
- A legal parent-child relationship recognized statewide, not just locally
The forms that open it
- Form FL-200, Petition to Determine Parental Relationship, opens the case
- Form FL-210, the Summons, formally notifies the other parent
- Form FL-105, the UCCJEA declaration, is required when custody is part of the request
- A signed Voluntary Declaration of Parentage can establish parentage without going to court at all
Rules that vary by circumstance, like rescission windows for a signed declaration or exactly how a marital presumption applies to your situation, are best confirmed with the California Courts Self-Help Center or your county's family law facilitator. For the full breakdown, see our guide to parentage in California.
Virdix is a self-help document preparation service, not a law firm, and does not provide legal advice. If your case involves domestic violence or you fear for your safety, call 911 or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.