FL-314-INFO - Child Custody Information Sheet—Child Custody Mediation

Summary

Child Custody Information Sheet—Child Custody Mediation

Text

Form ID: FL-314-INFO
Title: Child Custody Information Sheet—Child Custody Mediation
Effective Date: 2025-07-01
Mandatory Form: no
Languages: 汉语, 한국어, español, Tiếng Việt
Info Page: https://selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/jcc-form/FL-314-INFO
Primary Download URL: https://www.courts.ca.gov/documents/fl314info.pdf
Alternate Download URLs: https://www.courts.ca.gov/documents/fl314infoc.pdf, https://www.courts.ca.gov/documents/fl314infok.pdf, https://www.courts.ca.gov/documents/fl314infos.pdf, https://www.courts.ca.gov/documents/fl314infov.pdf
Form Detail Page:
Child Custody Information Sheet—Child Custody Mediation
(FL-314-INFO)
Explains that family courts uses mediation to help parents create their own parenting plan agreement before the court makes orders about child custody and visitation. This form also explains the next steps if parents do not agree on a parenting plan and includes information about how to find help.
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汉语
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(Chinese Simplified)
한국어
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(Korean)
español
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(Spanish)
Tiếng Việt
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(Vietnamese)
Effective: July 1, 2025
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How-to instructions for Custody
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Custody Form Packets
PDF Text:
Judicial Council of California,   
Rev. July 1, 2025, Optional Form  Child Custody Information Sheet— 
Child Custody Mediation
FL-314-INFO, Page 1 of 2
FL-314-INFO Child Custody Information Sheet—Child Custody Mediation
Parents who come to court about child custody 
and parenting time (visitation) face decisions 
about parenting plans for their children. This 
information sheet provides general information 
about child custody and parenting time matters, 
how to get help resolving a custody dispute or 
making a parenting plan, where to find an 
attorney, and where to find other resources.
What is a parenting plan?
A parenting plan describes how the parents will 
divide their responsibilities for taking care of their 
child. 
 
The plan may include a general or specific 
schedule of days, times, weekends, holidays, 
vacations, transportation, pick-up/drop-off, limits 
on travel, counseling, and treatment services, and 
other details.
What are legal and physical custody?
A parenting plan usually includes:
• Legal custody: how parents make major 
  decisions about the child’s health, education, 
  and welfare; 
• Physical custody: where the child lives; and 
• Parenting time, time-share, or visitation: 
  when the child spends time with each parent. 
 
Legal custody and physical custody may 
each be specified as joint (both parents have 
certain responsibilities) or sole (one parent has 
the responsibility alone).
Can we make our own parenting plan?
Yes. You have a right to make a parenting plan 
agreement on your own. This agreement may be 
called a stipulation, time-share plan, or parenting 
plan. 
 
If both parents can agree on a parenting plan, the 
judge will probably approve it. The agreement 
becomes a court order after it is signed by both 
parents and the judge, and filed with the court.
What if there is domestic 
violence or a protective order?
If there is domestic violence or a protective  
order, talk with an attorney, counselor, or  
mediator before making a parenting plan. 
 
For domestic violence help, call the National 
Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 
(TDD:1-800-787-3224) or call 211 if available  
in your area.
What if we don’t have a parenting plan?
If you can’t reach an agreement, the court will refer 
you to mediation with family court services (FCS) to 
try to work out a parenting plan.
What is mediation with family court services?
Family court services (FCS) provides mediation to 
help parents resolve disagreements about the care of 
their child. The mediator will meet with you and the 
other parent to try to help you both make a parenting 
plan. An orientation may be provided that offers 
additional information about the process. 
 
If you are concerned about meeting with the other 
parent in mediation, or there is a domestic violence 
issue or a protective order involving the other parent, 
you may ask to meet alone with the mediator without 
the other parent. You may also request to have a 
support person with you at mediation. The support 
person may not speak for you.
Do we have to agree to a parenting plan in 
mediation?
No. You do not have to come to an agreement in 
mediation. When the parents can’t agree, the judge 
will decide. For legal advice, contact an attorney. 
For other information, ask the self-help center or 
family court services about how the process works in 
your court.

FL-314-INFO, Page 2 of 2Child Custody Information Sheet— 
Child Custody Mediation
Rev. July 1, 2025
FL-314-INFO Child Custody Information Sheet—Recommending Counseling
Are there other ways to resolve our dispute?
Yes. You may try other alternative dispute 
resolution (ADR) options, including:
1. Meet and Confer: Parents and their attorneys (if 
any) may meet at any time and as often as necessary to 
work out a parenting plan without a court hearing. If 
there is a protective order limiting the contact between 
the parents, then the “meet and confer” can be through 
attorneys or a mediator in separate sessions.
2. Settlement Conference: In some courts, parents 
may meet with a judge, neutral evaluators, or family 
law attorneys not involved in the case to discuss 
settlement. Check with the local court to find out if this 
is an option. If there is a protective order, the settlement 
discussion can be through attorneys or a mediator in 
separate sessions.
3. Private Mediation: Parents may hire a private 
mediator to help them resolve their dispute.
4. Collaborative Law Process: Each parent hires a 
lawyer and agrees to resolve the dispute without going 
to court. The parents may also hire other experts.
Court Hearing
When the parents cannot agree to a parenting plan 
on their own, in mediation, or in any other ADR 
process, the judge will decide. 
 
If there is domestic violence or a protective order, a 
parent may be able to bring a support person with 
him or her to the court hearing, but the support 
person may not speak for that person.
Where can I get help?
This information sheet gives only basic information 
on the child custody process and is not legal advice. 
If you want legal advice, ask an attorney for 
assistance. For other information, you may want to:
1. Contact family court services.
2. Contact the family law facilitator or self-help 
center for information, local rules and court forms, 
and referrals to local legal services providers.
3. Find an attorney through your local bar 
association, the State Bar of California at 
www.calbar.ca.gov, or the Lawyer Referral Service
at 1-866-442-2529.
4. Hire a private mediator for help with your 
parenting agreement. A mediator may be an attorney 
or counselor. Contact your local bar association, 
court ADR program, or family court services for a 
referral to local resources.
5. Find information on the Online Self-Help Center 
website at 
6. For free and low-cost legal help (if you qualify), 
go to 
7. Find information at your local law library or ask 
at your public library.
8. Ask for a court hearing and let the judge decide 
what is best for your child.
Requests for Accommodations 
Assistive listening systems, computer-assisted real-time captioning, or sign language interpreter services are available  
if you ask at least five days before the proceeding. Contact the clerk's office or go to                                   for 
Disability Accommodation Request (                     ). (Civil Code, § 54.8.)

Retrieval chunks

• #1

  Form ID: FL-314-INFO Title: Child Custody Information Sheet—Child Custody Mediation Effective Date: 2025-07-01 Mandatory Form: no Languages: 汉语, 한국어, español, Tiếng Việt Info Page: https://selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/jcc-form/FL-314-INFO Primary Download URL: https://www.courts.ca.gov/documents/fl314info.pdf Alterna…

• #2

  • Parenting time, time-share, or visitation: when the child spends time with each parent. Legal custody and physical custody may each be specified as joint (both parents have certain responsibilities) or sole (one parent has the responsibility alone). Can we make our own parenting plan? Yes. You have a right to…

• #3

  resolution (ADR) options, including: 1. Meet and Confer: Parents and their attorneys (if any) may meet at any time and as often as necessary to work out a parenting plan without a court hearing. If there is a protective order limiting the contact between the parents, then the “meet and confer” can be through att…

• #4

  Assistive listening systems, computer-assisted real-time captioning, or sign language interpreter services are available if you ask at least five days before the proceeding. Contact the clerk's office or go to for Disability Accommodation Request ( ). (Civil Code…