Best-Interest Factors (Anchor Every Ask)

Judges rule on health, safety, welfare. Tie each request to one of these:

Stability & routine: attendance, homework, bedtime, medical/therapy follow-through.
Safety & sobriety: no violence/substances; safe exchanges.
Co-parenting conduct: facilitating contact; no disparagement; no interference.
Child’s needs: IEP/504, therapy, activities, transportation.

Rule: Less drama, more documents. One clean exhibit beats ten rants.

Build the Parenting Plan (FL-311)

Core Schedule (be exact)

Days/times with each parent
Exchange location & who drives
School days vs weekends

Regular Schedule:
• Week A: Parent A Fri 6:00 PM → Sun 6:00 PM
• Week B: Parent B Fri 6:00 PM → Sun 6:00 PM
Exchanges at the child's school curb. Parent starting time transports.

Communication & Info

Daily call window (e.g., 7:00–7:30 PM)
48-hour notice for travel/changes
Share school/medical portals

Communication:
One 10-minute video call between 7:00–7:30 PM when the child is not in that parent’s care.

Decision-Making (Legal)

Education & non-emergency healthcare
Tie-breaker: mediation before court

Joint Legal:
Major decisions need written agreement. If no agreement after 7 days, parties mediate before filing.

Use FL-311 for the plan and FL-341 pages for specifics. Links below.

Step-Up Plans (Rebuild Time Safely)

Propose gradual increases tied to milestones (attendance, negative tests, completed classes).

Infant (0–2)

Phase 1 (0–60 days): 3×/week 2-hour daytime visits.
Phase 2 (60–120): add one 4-hour weekend block.
Phase 3 (120–180): one 8-hour weekend block.
Review at 6 months for overnights if milestones met.

School-Age (6–12)

Phase 1 (0–30): EOW Sat 10–6.
Phase 2 (30–90): EOW Sat 10 → Sun 6 (one overnight).
Phase 3 (90+): EOW Fri 6 → Sun 6 + Wed dinner 5–8.

Teens (13+)

Phase 1: EOW Fri 6 → Sun 6; midweek dinner.
Phase 2: add a weekday overnight if grades/attendance stable.

Supervised / Safety Clauses

Use FL-341(A) for supervised terms (provider, costs, duration).
No alcohol/cannabis within 24 hrs of visits; no illegal drugs; safe firearm storage.
Exchanges at police station lobby or supervised center if needed.

Safety Clause:
No alcohol or non-prescribed substances within 24 hours before/during parenting time.
Exchanges at Main Police Station lobby until further order.

Holidays & Travel (FL-341 Series)

Put holidays in writing with FL-341(C). Odd/even rotation keeps it fair.

Holidays (FL-341C):
• Thanksgiving: odd years Parent A (Thu 10 AM → Fri 10 AM); even years Parent B.
• Winter Break: split equally; exchanges 10 AM midpoint; Christmas morning alternates yearly.

Travel: notice 14 days; itinerary 48 hrs prior; passports with designated custodian; no out-of-state travel without written consent/order.

Exhibits & Binder (Make Rulings Easy)

Tabs & Index

Tab A: texts/emails (date/time visible)
Tab B: school records
Tab C: therapy/medical notes
Tab D: police reports
Tab E: photos/maps

Labeling

Exhibit A-1: Text 02/12/25 7:41 PM (missed exchange)
Exhibit B-3: Attendance log, Sept–Nov
Exhibit C-2: Counselor letter 03/05/25

Three Sets

Court • Other Party • You. Tabs + highlights. Sticky flags at key pages. Bring a spare USB.

Pro move: One-page timeline on top: date • what happened • exhibit reference.

Hearing Scripts (Short. Calm. Precise.)

Opening (60–90 sec)

Your Honor, [Name], self-represented. I’m requesting the parenting plan in FL-311/FL-341
because it maximizes stability and school attendance. Evidence is Exhibits A–C. I’ll be brief.

Issue Statement

On exchanges: Late hand-offs caused tardies (Ex. B-1). My plan sets school-based exchanges
and a Sunday 6 PM return to protect sleep and grades.

Close

I ask the Court to adopt the schedule, holidays per FL-341(C), and the stated safety clauses. Thank you.

Cross & Objections (Control the Record)

Control the Question

Q: On 3/14 you arrived 45 minutes late for exchange, correct?
Q: And the child was marked tardy the next day, correct?

Objection Cheats

Relevance: “Objection, relevance to custody factors.”
Hearsay: “Objection, hearsay—no exception stated.”
Foundation: “Objection, lack of foundation for this document.”
Speculation / Argumentative.

Mediation & 730 Notes

Be factual with mediators; give your plan + exhibit list. For 730 evals, insist the scope is tied to parenting capacity and safety—not character attacks.

Official Forms (Judicial Council PDFs)

📄 FL-300 — Request for Order ℹ️ FL-300-INFO 📄 FL-320 — Responsive Declaration 📄 FL-311 — Custody/Visitation Attachment 📄 FL-341 — Order Attachment 📄 FL-341(C) — Holidays 📄 FL-341(A) — Supervised 📄 FL-341(E) — Joint Legal 📄 FL-341(D) — Extra Provisions 📄 FL-341(B) — Abduction Prevention 📄 FL-150 — Income & Expense 📄 FL-105 — UCCJEA Declaration 📄 FL-330 — Proof of Personal Service 📄 FL-335 — Proof of Service by Mail 📄 DV-100 — DVRO Request 📄 DV-110 — Temporary DVRO 📄 DV-130 — DVRO After Hearing 🌐 All California Court Forms

Always check your county’s local rules for any additional forms or timelines.