This is an article on divorce in Stockton, California, which is located in San Joaquin County. The Superior Court handles all family law matters, encompassing the dissolution of marriages (divorce), child custody, visitation, paternity, child support, and alimony. Department F2 handles the daily docket of family law matters.
Shorter trials are handled by Department F2 every Monday through Friday at 2:00 p.m. Department 21 handles divorce cases that are scheduled for one day or less and schedules them for every Monday morning at 8:30 a.m. Divorces trials expected to last for more than a day are handled by Department 2 and are scheduled for assignment on Tuesdays through Friday at 8:45 a.m.
There is a Local Rule of Court (7-103) which requires a meeting between all parties before a mediation is conducted. Ostensibly this is to give the parties a chance to work out the issues before time and funds are expended on mediation. This rule is clear that even if all issues cannot be resolved they must at least be discussed, including issues concerning visitation vacation and holiday schedules. In most cases, even those where the parties cannot agree on who should have primary custody, it is usually possible to reach an agreement on how vacations and holidays should be handled.
The courts generally find it very helpful if the parties (or their attorneys) have a pleading on file which specifies the precise parenting plan that party seeks to have ordered. Failure to include this kind of specific information in your pleading can be a factor that the court considers in determining an award of attorney’s fees to one party or the other.
Department 21 has, for several years, handled the preparation of the final order after a contested custody case involving two pro se parties (a person not represented by a lawyer). In the recent past it has begun doing this in cases involving lawyers as well.
The Stockton Family Law Courthouse is located at 540 E. Main Street in Stockton, California and the phone number is 209-953-7828.
