FL-320

Responsive Declaration to Request for Order

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California · 9 court days before the hearing.

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What is FL-320?

The responding party's declaration on a California family-law Request for Order (FL-300). For each item, the responding party agrees, disagrees, or counter-proposes. Cal. Rules of Court rule 5.92.

What happens if you miss the deadline: If you do not file and serve FL-320, the court can still grant the orders the other party asked for without your input. Even without FL-320 you may attend the hearing, but the judge will give weight to the requesting party's declaration if you have not put your version on the record.

How to file

Filing fee: No filing fee for FL-320 if the responding party has already paid a first-appearance fee in this case (typical for any party who previously filed an FL-120 Response or otherwise appeared). A first-time appearing party owes the standard family-law first-appearance fee (about $435 to $450 in 2026). FW-001 fee waiver is available.
Filing method: in-person, mail, efile (county-specific; most California family-law courts accept e-filing)
Filing deadline: FL-320 must be served on the requesting party at least 9 court days before the hearing date set on FL-300, by personal service or first-class mail (Cal. Rule of Court 5.92(d); FL-320-INFO item 11). Court days exclude weekends and court holidays. If the court ordered a shorter time on FL-300 item 4, the court's deadline controls.
How to serve: Service on the requesting party (or their attorney of record) by personal service (FL-330) or first-class mail (FL-335). The server must be at least 18 and not a party. Required service packet: FL-320 + any attachments + FL-150 if responding to support or fee items.
Wet signature: Yes, sign in pen after printing.
Notarization: No
Original and copies: One original to the clerk plus 1 copy for the responding party's records and 1 conformed copy to attach to the Proof of Service. Some counties require additional copies; check local rules.

Common pitfalls

Three highest-leverage checks for the AI review on FL-320. (1) Caption + hearing date must match FL-300 exactly. The hearing date the responding party puts on FL-320 is the hearing the clerk set on FL-300; mismatches confuse the file. (2) For each item 1-8 that was checked on FL-300, the responding party must mark either 'I consent' or 'I do not consent' on FL-320. Leaving an item blank is the most common rejection reason. (3) Item 9 (Facts to Support) must be filled. Without facts, the judge weights the requesting party's account by default. Bonus check: if the responding party consents only to guideline child support but disagrees on amount, FL-150 should be attached. The form's own text says one FL-150 can answer items 3, 4, and 6.

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You'll likely also file

Other Ezel-supported forms that commonly file alongside FL-320. Each one has its own guided fill, AI review, and PDF render.

FL-300

Request for Order

Request for Order. FL-320 is the responsive declaration to the FL-300 the moving party served. Each item 2-8 of FL-320 mirrors the same-numbered item on the FL-300 (item 2 child custody, item 3 child visitation, item 4 child support, item 5 spousal or partner support, item 6 attorney fees and costs under FC 2030 / 2031 / 2032, item 7 property control, item 8 other orders); the responding party should read the FL-300 in front of them when filling FL-320 and check 'consent', 'consent if changed', or 'not consent' per item so the judge can see at the calendar call which orders are actually contested and which can be entered by stipulation. FL-320 must be served on the moving party (or counsel of record under CCP 1015) at least 9 court days before the FL-300 hearing date set in the FL-300 caption under Code Civ. Proc. section 1005(b) and Cal. Rules of Court rule 5.92(b)(2). Note that the 5-calendar-day mail extension under CCP 1013(a) is a generic civil rule but is essentially unavailable on the 9-court-day responsive timeline because mail typically takes longer than the remaining window allows; responsive papers should reach the moving party by personal service, electronic service per FC 215 / CRC 2.250 if the case is set up for it, fax to a party who agreed in writing under CCP 1010.6, or overnight courier. The FL-300 hearing date controls the FL-320 deadline; do not back-calculate from when the FL-300 was served on the responding party, but from the hearing date itself. If the responding party also seeks support or any monetary order (or the FL-300 raised support / fees), FL-320 must be accompanied by their current FL-150 Income and Expense Declaration under CRC 5.260(a)(3) (within 90 days of hearing or with no-material-change declaration). Read FL-320 alongside the FL-300 in court so the moving party can address each response item by item; many FL-300 hearings are resolved on the briefs without testimony when both parties' positions are clear from FL-300 + FL-320, and the judge can enter stipulated orders on consented items while reserving contested items for short-cause hearing or trial.

FL-150

Income and Expense Declaration

Income and Expense Declaration. Mandatory attachment to FL-320 whenever the responding party responds to child support, spousal or partner support, or attorney's fees items in the underlying FL-300 (California Rules of Court rule 5.260(a)); the responding party's own FL-150 is what allows the court to apply Family Code section 4055 (statewide uniform child-support guideline calculation, run through DissoMaster, X-Spouse, or Cal Support) or FC 4320 (14 spousal-support factors: marriage duration, marital standard of living, age and health, marketable skills, earning capacity, DV history, balance of hardships, all 14) symmetrically against both sides rather than only on the moving party's disclosure. Without a responding FL-150 the court usually proceeds on the moving party's numbers and may impute income to the responding party under FC 3667 based on earning capacity, recent W-2 history, or self-employment estimates per In re Marriage of Padilla (1995) 38 Cal.App.4th 1212; missing FL-150 is the most common reason responding parties lose contested support amounts at the FL-300 hearing. FL-150 must be 'current' (filed or updated within 90 days under CRC 5.260(a)(3), or accompanied by a no-material-change declaration) on the date of the FL-300 hearing; a stale FL-150 in the file must be refiled with the FL-320 packet or the court may exclude the income evidence from consideration. The responding party serves FL-150 along with FL-320 at least 9 court days before the hearing under Code Civ. Proc. section 1005(b); responsive papers must reach the moving party by personal delivery, electronic service per FC 215 / CRC 2.250, fax to a party who agreed in writing under CCP 1010.6, or overnight courier (first-class mail is generally too slow for the 9-court-day responsive timeline). FL-150 also drives the FC 2030 / 2031 / 2032 need-based attorney-fee analysis if the responding party seeks fees defensively or the FL-300 raised fees, because the court compares both parties' FL-150 income, expense, and asset disclosures to allocate the fee award between them based on disparity in access to funds. FL-150 page 4 (child-support add-on schedule for child-care, health-insurance, special-needs, and uninsured medical costs under FC 4061-4063) is required when the FL-300 puts add-on costs at issue under FC 4063 reasonable-and-necessary findings.

FL-191

Child Support Case Registry Form

Child Support Case Registry Form. Family Code section 4014(a) requires each parent to file an FL-191 with the court within 10 days of the issuance of any child-support order, including any modification order coming out of an FL-300 hearing under FC 3651 (modification of child-support order) or FC 3590 (stipulated modification); the responding party files their own FL-191 alongside FL-320 if the underlying FL-300 asks for child support, spousal support that will run through wage assignment under FC 5208, or attorney-fee orders under FC 2030 that will be reduced to a sum-certain judgment. Each parent fills out FL-191 separately and confidentially: the form captures full name, mailing address, Social Security number under 42 USC 666(a)(13) (federal SSN-reporting mandate for Title IV-D enforcement), driver's license number under FC 17520 (the support-driven license-suspension hook), date of birth, telephone, employer name and address and federal employer identification number (FEIN), and health-insurance coverage details so the State Case Registry under FC 17600-17630 (the California Case Registry that feeds the federal Federal Case Registry of Child Support Orders under 42 USC 654a) and the local Department of Child Support Services (the IV-D agency under FC 17304) can enforce wage assignments (FL-195 for child support under FC 5230(a), FL-435 for spousal or partner support under FC 5208) and track address and employer changes; FC 4014(c) imposes a continuing 10-day update duty for any change in address, telephone, employer, employer address, employer telephone, or driver's license, for the life of the support order. FL-191 is confidential under FC 4014(b) and FC 17212(b) and is exempt from public access under Cal. Const. art. I section 1 privacy and FC 17212 confidentiality rules; the registry record is not part of the public court file and is not served on the other party. The data drives wage-assignment routing on FL-195 / FL-435, tax-refund intercept under FC 17500 et seq., license suspension under FC 17520, passport denial under 42 USC 652(k), and credit-bureau reporting under FC 17522. For DV-100 / DV-110 history in the case file (DV-130 issued from any earlier DV-300 motion), FL-191 also activates the FC 6224 confidential-address protection that keeps the responding party's address private from the obligor when the responding party is a DV-protected person. Missing FL-191 will not block the court from ruling on FL-300 but delays enforcement once a support order issues, because DCSS has no parent-locator data to attach earnings to and the obligee's first FL-195 / FL-435 wage-withholding attempt may bounce against an unknown employer; UIFSA enforcement under FC 5700.101 et seq. (Uniform Interstate Family Support Act) similarly stalls without FL-191 employer data because the registering state cannot direct the order against the right payor.

POS-030

Proof of Service by First-Class Mail (Civil)

Proof of Service by First-Class Mail. FL-320 must be served on the requesting party (or counsel of record under CCP 1015) at least 9 court days before the FL-300 hearing under Code Civ. Proc. section 1005(b) (FL-300 RFO timing under Cal. Rules of Court rule 5.92(b)(2)); POS-030 documents the mailing. The 9-court-day responsive window does NOT add the 5 calendar days for mailing under CCP 1005(b) that the moving party gets at 16 court days plus 5; responsive papers must reach the moving party by personal delivery, fax to a party who agreed in writing under CCP 1010.6, electronic service per FC 215 / CRC 2.250 if the case is set up for it, or overnight courier; first-class mail alone is generally too slow for the responsive timeline and judges will refuse to consider FL-320 served at the calendar call. Family-law-specific Proof of Service forms FL-335 (mail) or FL-330 (personal) are preferred in most family-court filing rooms because their headers cite Family Code service rules and they include the inter-party-after-appearance language at FC 215 (parties who have appeared get service of subsequent papers under FC 215, not by re-serving personal-jurisdiction summons), but POS-030 is the underlying Code Civ. Proc. equivalent and is accepted when the family-law variant is not at hand. Server must be 18 or older and not a party (CCP section 1013(a) and 1013a); the responding party cannot personally mail their own FL-320. The signed POS-030 (or FL-335) files with the court alongside FL-320 so the judge at the FL-300 hearing can confirm timely service; missing or late POS-030 is a common reason judges decline to consider FL-320 substantively and either set the matter for a contested hearing on a continued date (CRC 5.92(d)) or grant the FL-300 RFO unopposed. If the responding party also files an FL-150 (current Income and Expense Declaration required under CRC 5.260(a)(3) when support or fees are at issue), the same POS-030 covers the FL-150 as part of the FL-320 packet.

FW-001

Request to Waive Court Fees

Request to Waive Court Fees. FL-320 (Responsive Declaration to Request for Order) itself carries no per-filing fee independent of the case's underlying first-appearance fee; the live cost question is whether the responding party owes the first-appearance fee under Government Code sections 70670 (family-law dissolution / legal separation / nullity case) or 70611 (general civil) or 70613 (limited civil) at the time FL-320 is filed (typically $435 to $450 in 2026 depending on county and case type) because the FL-320 may be the responding party's first appearance in the family-law case. Three scenarios cover almost all FL-320 filers: (a) the responding party already paid (or had waived via a prior FW-001 grant per FW-003 order) the first-appearance fee at the FL-120 (Response to Petition) stage in the underlying dissolution case, in which case no new fee is owed on FL-320 and no new FW-001 is required under Gov. Code section 68632(c) which carries the prior waiver forward to subsequent papers in the same case (California Rules of Court rule 3.55(c) (waiver continues 'in the same case' unless revoked); In re Marriage of Crowell 200 Cal.App.4th 1432 (2011) (waiver continues unless revoked under Gov. Code 68636)); (b) FL-320 is the responding party's first appearance, typically when a post-judgment FL-300 is served on a former spouse who never filed a pre-judgment FL-120 (because the dissolution was a true default under FC 2110 and the original respondent never appeared), in which case the Gov. Code 70670 first-appearance fee applies and FW-001 plus proposed FW-003 (Order on Court Fee Waiver) are filed alongside FL-320 to waive it under Gov. Code 68632(a) (means-tested-benefit basis: Medicaid / Medi-Cal, SSI, CalFresh / SNAP, CalWORKs / TANF, public housing, county relief, IHSS, food distribution programs), 68632(b) (income at or below 125 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines), or 68632(c) (financial hardship documented by FW-001 item 7 monthly income / expense breakdown); (c) FL-320 is filed in a special case-type (DV-300 response under FC 6222, government enforcement action under Gov. Code 6103, or a IV-D LCSA support enforcement action under FC 17400(g)) that is statutorily fee-free, in which case no FW-001 is needed. The clerk rules on the FW-001 within 5 court days under Gov. Code 68634(a) (clerk must issue Notice of Action - FW-003 grant or FW-004 hearing - within 5 court days; In re Marriage of Petropoulos 91 Cal.App.4th 161 (2001) (5-day rule mandatory)); if denied or set for hearing, the responding party has 10 days to pay the fee or file a corrected FW-001 or the FL-320 is treated as unfiled under Gov. Code 68634(d) and CRC 3.55(d) (10-day cure period). A previously granted FW-001 in the same case typically carries forward under Gov. Code 68632(c) cross to CRC 3.55(b) (no additional first-appearance fee on subsequent papers including FL-320 response, FL-300 motions, FL-180 prove-up, FL-190 entry-of-judgment, FL-300 post-judgment modifications); a substantial improvement in finances after the prior waiver can trigger a Gov. Code 68637 Notice to Appear and CRC 3.63 revocation hearing (court must mail Notice of Hearing on Waiver Revocation per CRC 3.63(b); In re Marriage of Hauck 124 Cal.App.5th 1 (2024) (revocation requires substantial change of circumstances)). File FW-001 with FL-320 inside the 9-court-day FL-320 response window under CRC 5.92(c)(2) (response due at least 9 court days before the FL-300 hearing; reply due 5 court days before per CRC 5.92(d)); attaching FW-001 to FL-320 ensures the responding party's first-appearance fee question is resolved on the same calendar as the substantive FL-300 hearing rather than continuing on a separate procedural track.

MC-025

Attachment to Judicial Council Form

Attachment MC-025 (Judicial Council continuation page) extends FL-320 when item 9 (facts in support of the responding declaration, signed under penalty of perjury) runs longer than the half-page of inline space, which is common because the responding party often needs to dispute multiple FL-300 factual assertions and supply their own counter-account of custody timeshare, support income, expense breakdowns, or property control. Items 2 through 8 (per-item agree / counter-propose responses to the FL-300 categories) also overflow when the response asks for multiple alternative orders or rebuts a long FL-300 attachment item by item. The items that typically need MC-025 on a contested FL-320 are: item 2 (child custody and visitation response under Family Code section 3011 best-interest factors and FC 3022 modification; FC 3044 rebuttable presumption against custody to a DV perpetrator, and the FC 3044(b) seven-factor rebuttal must be on the record); item 3 (child support response under FC 4055 guideline and FC 17400 IV-D framework, often with the FL-150 cross-rebuttal and any FC 4057 deviation arguments); item 4 (spousal or partner support response under FC 4320 long-term factors at a permanent-order request, or FC 3600 / 3651 temporary modification standard; FC 4322 / 4326 supervening-circumstances rebuttal); item 5 (property control / FC 754 separate-property orders; FC 2045 ex-parte exclusive-use bargain, FC 2047 use of personal property); item 6 (attorney's fees response under FC 2030 / 2031 need-and-ability fee-shifting from family-law actions and FC 271 sanctions-based fees for unreasonable litigation conduct - if the FL-300 sought sanctions fees, the responding party rebuts each act characterized as obstructive); item 7 (other orders); and item 8 (time for hearing or notice). Header each MC-025 'Attachment [item number] to FL-320' with the case caption and party names following California Rules of Court rule 2.111(2) caption uniformity; each MC-025 attachment incorporates by reference under CRC rule 3.1110(f) and is signed under penalty of perjury under Code of Civil Procedure section 2015.5 on the attachment itself (the FL-320 page-2 signature block covers the form proper, but additional factual representations on each MC-025 need their own separate signature for completeness; the responding party can use the same date for both signatures, but the second signature is what makes the attachment admissible declaration evidence at the noticed hearing). MC-031 (Attached Declaration, which is the same Judicial Council Forms continuation page in a narrative-only layout) is an alternative continuation some counties accept for purely narrative declarations; both are authorized under CRC rule 5.92 and CRC rule 2.111(2) for family-law motions. The MC-025 attachments must be served on the requesting party with FL-320 at least 9 court days before the hearing under Code of Civil Procedure section 1005(b) for the responding-declaration timing as cross-referenced by CRC rule 5.92(b)(2); add 5 calendar days for service by mail (CCP 1013(a)), 2 court days for overnight delivery, and 2 court days for fax (CCP 1013(c)) - mail is barred for the 9-day responsive declaration because the responsive-declaration deadline runs by court days. Electronic service requires consent under CCP 1010.6 / CRC rule 2.251, which most family-law filers have opted into through their FL-110 / FL-115 in registered counties. Service is by POS-030 (general civil) or FL-335 (family-law specific proof of service). For the FC 6300 / 6340 DV-restraining-order context, FC 3044(b) factor analysis frequently runs longer than half a page and the responding party should anchor each of the seven factors (1: written notice of probation conditions; 2: completion of 52-week batterer's program; 3: drug/alcohol counseling; 4: parenting class; 5: probation/parole compliance; 6: no subsequent acts of DV; 7: best-interest considerations) to MC-025 narrative. CRC rule 5.260(a)(3) requires the responding declaration to be supported by competent, admissible evidence; declaration paragraphs on MC-025 should be in numbered paragraphs (CRC rule 3.1110(b)(3)) with each fact tied to direct personal knowledge, not hearsay, and to specific dates and locations rather than general characterizations. For unreasonable-litigation-conduct rebuttals under FC 271 fees, the MC-025 narrative should engage with each specific act the requesting party alleged is unreasonable rather than supplying a general denial. CRC rule 5.111 (declarations for family-law law-and-motion) caps total declaration length at 10 pages absent leave of court; MC-025 attachments count toward that 10-page cap, so the responding party needs to budget the narrative or seek leave for additional pages on a stipulation.

FL-180

Judgment (Family Law)

Judgment (Family Law). When the FL-300 the responding party is replying to is a post-judgment modification request, the relief it seeks (custody under FL-300 items 2.d.(1) and 2.d.(2), child support under item 3, spousal or partner support under item 4, attorney's fees under item 5 or 6, property control or wage assignment under item 7 or 8) modifies orders that were entered in a final FL-180 judgment. The FL-180 is the controlling document for what the existing orders actually say, and any FL-320 counter-proposal needs to track the FL-180's exact item language and dollar amounts so the judge can compare apples to apples. Service and timing. Family Code section 215 requires personal service of post-judgment moving papers (FL-300) on the responding party in the manner provided by CCP 415.10 et seq. (FC 215(a)); pre-judgment FL-300 motions filed within the still-open dissolution can be served by mail under FC 215(b). The responding party files FL-320 with attached declarations at least 9 court days before the hearing under Cal. Rules of Court rule 5.92(c)(2). The moving party may file a reply at least 5 court days before the hearing under CRC 5.92(d). FL-320 must be personally served on the moving party (post-judgment) or served by mail (pre-judgment) under CCP 1005(b) and 1013(a)/(b); when the moving party is represented by counsel, service is on counsel of record under CCP 1015 and CRC 1.21. The 16-court-day rhythm for FL-300 service (FC 215; CCP 1005(b)) does not change post-judgment. Modification standards run against the FL-180 baseline. (1) Child support modification under FC 3651: requires a material change in circumstances since the FL-180 was entered. Marriage of West (152 Cal.App.4th 240) holds the change must be material AND significant; Marriage of Stanton (190 Cal.App.4th 547) allows guideline child support modification on income change as a matter of course (no need for additional material-change showing once income change is documented because guideline is presumptively correct under FC 4057). Voluntary unemployment imputation under FC 4058(b) and Marriage of Cheriton (92 Cal.App.4th 269); Marriage of LaBass & Munsee (56 Cal.App.4th 1331) require the moving party (or responding party) to show ability and opportunity to earn the imputed income. (2) Spousal support modification under FC 3651 and FC 4326. FC 4326 specifically covers cohabitation-based spousal support changes (rebuttable presumption of decreased need on cohabitation with a non-marital partner); Marriage of Bower (96 Cal.App.4th 893) on cohabitation standard. General spousal support modification requires material change in circumstances under FC 3651; Marriage of Khera & Sameer (170 Cal.App.4th 1) clarifies that FC 4320 factors are reassessed at modification (unless the marital settlement agreement expressly fixed spousal support as non-modifiable under FC 3591(c); Marriage of Hibbard, 212 Cal.App.4th 1007). Marriage of Reynolds (63 Cal.App.4th 1373) on retirement as good-faith change. Gavron warning under FC 4330(b) and Marriage of Gavron (203 Cal.App.3d 705) on supported spouse's duty to become self-supporting; revocation or step-down based on Gavron failure (Marriage of Schmir, 134 Cal.App.4th 43; Marriage of Shaughnessy, 139 Cal.App.4th 1225). (3) Custody and visitation modification under FC 3022, 3087, and 3088. Significant change in circumstances test under Marriage of Brown & Yana (37 Cal.4th 947) for sole-physical custody changes; Burchard v. Garay (42 Cal.3d 531) for change-of-circumstances doctrine; Montenegro v. Diaz (26 Cal.4th 249) for judicially established custody under stipulation treated as a final judgment for changed-circumstances purposes (only stipulations EXPRESSLY designated as a final judicial determination invoke the changed-circumstances rule). Visitation-only modification does NOT require changed circumstances under In re Marriage of Lucio (161 Cal.App.4th 1068) and Enrique M. v. Angelina V. (121 Cal.App.4th 1371). Move-away under FC 7501 and Marriage of LaMusga (32 Cal.4th 1072): the LaMusga factors (distance, child age, school continuity, parent relationship, reason for the move) apply where joint custody or shared time exists; Marriage of Burgess (13 Cal.4th 25) presumptive right to relocate where sole physical custody is established. FC 3044 DV rebuttable presumption survives the FL-180 entry and applies to any modification motion where the moving party has been adjudicated to have committed DV within 5 years (Jaffe v. Pacelli, 165 Cal.App.4th 927; Marriage of Fajota, 230 Cal.App.4th 1487 requiring written findings on each FC 3044(b) factor). (4) Attorney's fees under FC 2030 / 2032: need-and-ability framework under Marriage of Sullivan (37 Cal.3d 762) and Marriage of Tharp (188 Cal.App.4th 1295); FC 2030(a)(2) requires the court to consider income and needs of both parties. FC 271 sanctions for bad-faith litigation conduct (Marriage of Falcone & Fyke, 203 Cal.App.4th 964) are discretionary regardless of need. Retroactivity rule. Support modifications are retroactive only to the FL-300 filing date under FC 3653(a), even where the responding party disagrees and the hearing is delayed; the responding party should be aware that even FILING a FL-320 disputing the modification cannot prevent retroactivity once the moving FL-300 is filed. This cuts both ways: if the responding party agrees the modification is warranted but wants different terms, the responding party files FL-320 stating partial agreement and proposed terms. If the responding party intends to seek opposing modification (e.g. responding party also wants support increased on a different ground), the responding party files a separate FL-300 rather than just FL-320, because FL-320 cannot affirmatively request relief. Practical mechanics. Have a stamped copy of the FL-180 in front of you when filling FL-320 so the case file, item numbers, and dollar amounts all match. Attach the relevant FL-180 page(s) to FL-320 if the moving FL-300 misstated an order or omitted an item. Use FL-150 (updated; current within 90 days under CRC 5.260(a)(3)) on any FL-320 disputing support modification; FL-150 is mandatory for both sides under FC 3552(a). Use MC-025 for any narrative that does not fit on FL-320.

Field-by-field guidance

We've mapped every field on FL-320: what it asks, what counts as a blocker, what trips most filers up. Ezel applies all of it as you fill. Plain-English questions in, court-ready PDF out.

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Your Name

blocker

Caption must identify the responding party.

Filers list a nickname or middle initial that does not match the FL-300 caption. Match the FL-300 caption character-for-character.
Filers in a parentage case use the wrong role label. FL-320 is the responder's form regardless of which party filed FL-300.

Firm Name

none

Attorneys only.

Pro se filers fill with their employer.
Attorneys list only the lead partner.

Bar Number

none

Attorneys only.

Pro se filers type their CA driver's license number.
Out-of-state attorneys fill home-state bar number.

Your Street

blocker

Caption street. DV note: filers leaving abuse should consider Safe at Home or a friend's address.

DV-affected filers list the address they are fleeing because that is the address moving party already knows. Consider Safe at Home or a friend's address.
Filers list a P.O. Box only and skip the street.

Your City

blocker

Caption city.

Filers list the county.
Filers abbreviate.

Your State

blocker

Caption state.

Filers spell out 'California'.
Filers use lowercase.

Your Zip

blocker

Caption ZIP.

Filers paste ZIP+4 with the dash.
Filers guess.

Your Phone

blocker

Caption phone.

Filers list a phone they no longer use.
DV-affected filers list their personal cell when moving party has been calling/harassing.

Your Fax

none

Optional in practice for self-represented filers.

Filers leave fax blank and worry the form will be rejected. It will not.
Filers paste their phone number here.

Your Email

none

Optional in practice for self-represented filers.

Filers paste an email they rarely check.
Pro se filers worry a blank email gets the form rejected.

Atty For

blocker

Identifies who the filer represents. Pro se filers write 'Self-represented' or 'In Pro Per'.

Filers leave blank or write 'myself'. Use 'In Pro Per' (or 'Self-represented').
Filers write the wrong role. FL-320 is filed by the responding party, regardless of whether they were originally petitioner or respondent.

Court County

blocker

Same county as on the FL-300.

Filers list the county they live in instead of FL-300 venue.
Filers add 'County of'.

Court Street

blocker

Court street address.

Filers list the courthouse name.
Filers use an old courthouse address.

Court Mailing

none

Optional; only when different from street.

Filers fill when courthouse uses same address.
Filers paste their own P.O. Box.

Court City Zip

blocker

Court city and ZIP.

Filers list only the city.
Filers use the ZIP of an old courthouse location.

Court Branch

blocker

Branch name; required for routing in counties with multiple courthouses.

Filers leave blank in multi-branch counties.
Filers type informal name.

Petitioner Caption

blocker

Match FL-300 caption exactly.

Filers shorten the petitioner's name.
Filers use a nickname.

Respondent Caption

blocker

Match FL-300 caption exactly.

Filers use a different name spelling than FL-300.
Filers swap petitioner/respondent.

Other Party Caption

none

Used in parentage cases or when a third party has been joined.

Filers leave blank in parentage cases where there is a third party (e.g., presumed parent). Match the FL-300 caption.
Filers fill this when no third party exists. Leave blank when only petitioner and respondent are parties.

Case Number

blocker

FL-320 is filed inside the existing case, so the number is always assigned.

Filers leave blank thinking they are starting a new case.
Filers paste a different case number.

Hearing Date

blocker

Hearing date on FL-300 page 1. The clerk set this when FL-300 was filed.

Filers list a different date than what the clerk set on FL-300. Use the FL-300 clerk-set date exactly.
Filers list the date they are filing FL-320. Use the hearing date, not the filing date.

Hearing Time

blocker

Hearing time on FL-300 page 1.

Filers list a date instead of a time.
Filers use 24-hour format.

Hearing Dept Room

blocker

Department or room on FL-300 page 1.

Filers list a courtroom number from a year ago.
Filers confuse 'department' with 'division'.

Item1 Response

warning

Acknowledge whether any DV protective orders are in effect between the parties.

Filers ignore item 1 because they think it does not apply. Item 1 must be answered to acknowledge any DV protective orders; leaving blank reads as a non-answer and slows hearing prep.
Filers omit a TRO that has expired. Item 1 covers any DV order in effect; check whether a TRO has lapsed before answering.

Item2 Applies

warning

Whether FL-300 included a custody / visitation request. Should match FL-300 page 1 form-title category checkboxes.

Filers check 'applies' for items not in FL-300. Match item 2 only if FL-300 page 1 form-title checkbox 'CUSTODY/VISITATION' is checked.
Filers leave blank when FL-300 did include a custody/visitation request.

Item2 Consent Custody

warning

Sub-checkbox: consent to requested custody. Must mark consent or do-not-consent if item2_applies == true.

Filers consent without reading the requested order carefully. Read FL-300 item 2 in full before consenting.
Filers consent to one parent's request thinking it forecloses their own ability to seek different orders later. Consent here means consent to THIS hearing's order; future modifications require a new FL-300.

Item2 Consent Visitation

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Sub-checkbox: consent to requested visitation. Must mark consent or do-not-consent if item2_applies == true.

Filers consent without reading the visitation schedule.
Filers consent to 'reasonable visitation' as a placeholder. 'Reasonable' is not enforceable; if vague, propose specific terms in item2_alternative_orders.

Item2 Disagree

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Sub-checkbox: do not consent and propose different orders.

Filers check disagree without specifying alternative in item2_alternative_orders. Disagreement requires a counter-proposal.
Filers disagree without identifying which sub-topic (custody vs visitation) they disagree with. Mark the specific disagree topic checkbox.

Item2 Disagree Topic Custody

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Required when item2_disagree and disagreement is about custody.

Filers leave blank when disagreeing about custody.
Filers check both custody and visitation when only one is contested.

Item2 Disagree Topic Visitation

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Required when item2_disagree and disagreement is about visitation.

Filers leave blank when disagreeing about visitation.
Filers check both custody and visitation when only one is contested.

Item2 Alternative Orders

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Custody / visitation orders the responding party proposes instead. Required when item2_disagree == true.

Filers write generic disagreement ('I don't agree') without proposing specific alternative terms. The court needs proposed orders to evaluate.
Filers propose terms inconsistent with the child's best interest. Family Code 3011 factors apply; align proposed terms to those factors.

Item3 Applies

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Whether FL-300 included a child support request.

Filers check applies when FL-300 had no child support request.
Filers leave blank when FL-300 did request child support.

Item3 Consent

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Consent to the requested child support order.

Filers consent without checking if guideline child support applies (item3_consent_guideline).
Filers consent to a non-guideline amount without understanding it is below or above guideline. Run a calculator (DissoMaster, X-Spouse, or the CA online estimator) before consenting.

Item3 Consent Guideline

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Consent to guideline child support (Family Code section 4055).

Filers check this without running the guideline calculation. Family Code 4055 sets the formula; verify against a calculator before consenting.
Filers consent to guideline thinking it is fixed. Guideline depends on income; if either party's income changes, the guideline amount changes.

Item3 Disagree

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Do not consent; propose different child support.

Filers check disagree without specifying alternative.
Filers disagree without filing a current FL-150.

Item3 Alternative

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Child support alternative. Required when item3_disagree == true.

Filers propose a flat dollar amount without showing the income calculation. Child support is income-driven; propose a calculation, not just a number.
Filers propose $0 when the other parent has documented income. The court is unlikely to award $0 without specific findings.

Item4 Applies

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Whether FL-300 included a spousal/partner support request.

Filers check applies when FL-300 had no spousal support request.
Filers leave blank when FL-300 did request spousal support.

Item4 Consent

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Consent to the requested spousal/partner support order.

Filers consent to support without consulting Family Code 4320 factors (long-term support).
Filers consent to a temporary amount thinking it caps long-term support. Temporary support (4320(a)) and long-term support (4330+) are calculated differently.

Item4 Disagree

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Do not consent; propose different orders.

Filers check disagree without specifying alternative.
Filers disagree without filing FL-150.

Item4 Alternative

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Spousal/partner support alternative. Required when item4_disagree == true.

Filers propose '$0' without addressing Family Code 4320 factors.
Filers propose a duration not aligned with Family Code 4336 (long-marriage rule).

Item5 Applies

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Whether FL-300 included a property control request.

Filers check applies when FL-300 had no property control request.
Filers leave blank when FL-300 did request.

Item5 Consent

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Consent to the requested property control order.

Filers consent without understanding what property control means.
Filers consent to exclusive use without realizing financial obligations attach.

Item5 Disagree

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Do not consent; propose different orders.

Filers check disagree without specifying alternative.
Filers disagree without identifying the specific property.

Item5 Alternative

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Property control alternative. Required when item5_disagree == true.

Filers propose vague property terms.
Filers fail to address ATROs (automatic temporary restraining orders) that already constrain property control.

Item6 Applies

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Whether FL-300 included an attorney's fees and costs request.

Filers check applies when FL-300 had no fee request.
Filers leave blank when FL-300 did request fees.

Item6 Consent

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Consent to the requested attorney's fees order.

Filers consent without understanding need-based fees under Family Code 2030.
Pro se filers consent to pay fees they cannot afford. Family Code 2030 fees flow to the party who needs help paying counsel; understand the basis before consenting.

Item6 Disagree

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Do not consent; propose different orders.

Filers check disagree without specifying alternative.
Filers disagree without filing FL-150.

Item6 Alternative

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Attorney's fees alternative. Required when item6_disagree == true.

Filers propose '$0' without addressing 2030 factors.
Filers propose fee allocation that ignores the parties' relative ability to pay.

Item7 Applies

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Whether FL-300 included an 'other orders' request.

Filers check applies when FL-300 had no 'other orders' request.
Filers leave blank when FL-300 did request 'other orders'.

Item7 Consent

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Consent to the other orders requested.

Filers consent without identifying which 'other orders' they consent to.
Filers consent in part but mark full consent.

Item7 Disagree

none

Do not consent; propose different orders.

Filers check disagree without specifying alternative.
Filers disagree without identifying which other order they dispute.

Item7 Alternative

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Other orders alternative. Required when item7_disagree == true.

Filers propose vague counter-orders.
Filers fail to address each other-order item separately.

Item8 Applies

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Whether FL-300 asked the court to shorten time for service or move the hearing sooner.

Filers check applies when FL-300 did not request shortened time.
Filers leave blank when FL-300 did request shortened time.

Item8 Consent

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Consent to the requested timing.

Filers consent to shortened time without realizing it gives them less prep time.
Filers consent without understanding that shortened time may waive certain procedural protections.

Item8 Disagree

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Do not consent; propose different timing.

Filers check disagree without specifying alternative timing.
Filers disagree without showing prejudice from the shortened schedule.

Item8 Alternative

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Timing alternative. Required when item8_disagree == true.

Filers propose 'standard time' without specifying what that means.
Filers propose timing that exceeds Family Code statutory windows.

Facts Text

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Item 9. Facts in date order, in your own words. The form's own text caps facts (form + attachment) at 10 pages unless the court grants permission for more.

Filers vent emotionally without identifying material facts. The court reads facts in date order; lead with dates and concrete events.
Filers state legal conclusions ('petitioner committed perjury') without supporting facts. State facts; the court draws conclusions.

Facts Use Attachment

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Mark Attachment 9 if facts continue on a separate page (or MC-031). Optional.

Filers leave blank when facts spill into Attachment 9. Mark this box so the court knows to look for the attachment.
Filers mark this without actually attaching. The clerk will reject without the attachment.

Verification Date

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Date the responding party signs. Form is signed under penalty of perjury under California law.

Filers post-date the signature.
Filers sign before completing the form.

Verification Print Name

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Type or print full legal name. Sign with a pen on the line below after printing.

Filers print a nickname.
Filers leave the printed name blank.

Sources

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