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Family Court Services

Overview of Family Court Services Staffing and Support

Family Court Services (FCS) is staffed by mental health practitioners who work with families with children when there are disputes.

The FCS staff provides mediation services in both Family Law cases that involve either child custody and/or timeshare plans (visitation schedules) and in Juvenile Dependency cases. The main function of FCS is to provide mediation services, although it also provides other services to the Court and families.

FCS Orientation Handbook and Form

Click on the button below to complete the Confidential Screening Form, which is available in English and Spanish. Click on the arrow in the form to open language choices.

SF UFC ServicesForm

Confidential Screening Form (Chinese): Email to FCSmediation@sftc.org

Additional Family Court Services Resources and Handouts

The following handouts may be useful during your mediation process:

Other Services

San Francisco Superior Court provides a list of private custody evaluators, counselors, and parenting coordinators who can assist litigants and their attorneys with treatment, assessment and clinical support involving custody and visitation disputes. The following list of custody evaluators and parenting coordinators are private practitioners who have requested to be included on this list. The San Francisco Superior Court does not specifically endorse the services of any particular provider on this list.

Primary Services of Family Court Services
Services for Non-English Speakers
  • Bilingual mediators can provide mediation services in Spanish, Mandarin and Hindi, as staff resources allow. Orientations are offered in English and Spanish.
  • Parties who appear on the Domestic Violence calendar or who have a current restraining order may request an interpreter free of charge for their mediation or court date. A request should be made as soon as possible, in advance of that date, in Room 402.
  • Aside from the exceptions above, parties who do not speak English fluently should bring their own interpreter to mediation and to Court. Minor children are NOT allowed to interpret.

Attorney Participation in Mediation

Attorneys are invited to participate in mediation. The mediator retains discretion as to how to incorporate counsel into the session. Attorneys who decide not to participate in the mediation session are considered to have waived the ex parte communication rules governing mediator attorney communications.

Orders and Modifications for Rally Visitation Services

  • If parties expect court involvement in Rally visitation services, Family Court Services must be involved in the procedures in setting up these services.
  • Parties should be aware that Rally services will not proceed if the necessary paperwork is not fully and appropriately completed.
    • If a mediator is not in Court when Rally orders are made, parties should request that one be contacted to assist with the paperwork.
    • All stipulations and orders must address the following:
      • The number of times a week for visits or exchanges;
      • The reason(s) for Rally Request;
      • The number of hours per visit (no more than two hours per week for supervised visits);
      • The person(s) responsible for paying the Rally fees;
      • The appropriate fee for service (Court to determine fee rate based on the income of the parties);
      • Court review date for all cases with supervised visits;
      • Name(s) & dates of birth of child(ren) involved in Rally services; and
      • Special language or other needs.
    • Parties can request a particular schedule of Rally. However, the Court cannot order a specific schedule for Rally services. The exact schedule will be worked out between Rally staff and the parties when they each go in for their intake interview at Rally.
    • Counsel who are putting together a stipulated order that includes a referral for Rally services (or for the termination of services) are encouraged to contact the parties' mediator or the manager, if there was no prior mediator, to request assistance in putting together a complete Rally order and associated papers.
    • Counsel are urged to drop off a courtesy copy of any stipulated order that includes a referral to Rally (or for the termination of services), once it has been signed by the Court for the parties' mediator, or for the manager if there is no assigned mediator.

Stipulations and Orders for Custody Evaluations

  • All orders for custody evaluations must be in the form required by San Francisco Local Rules.

Supervised Visitation

Family Court Services Professional Supervised Visitation Policy and List of Providers

DISCLAIMER: The providers listed have identified themselves to the Superior Court of San Francisco as supervised visitation providers in this area. These providers are not affiliated with the court, and each provider is independently responsible for compliance with any and all applicable legal requirements. The court does not endorse, evaluate, supervise, or monitor these programs.

https://selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/guide-supervised-visitation/professional-provider

Current Professional Supervised Visitation Provider List 

https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:VA6C2:5421c634-87b7-43f9-a740-663ed1e0987a

How to submit questions, concerns, or complaints

All information must be submitted in writing by emailing fcsmediation@sfcourt.org or by mail to Family Court Services 400 McAllister Street, Ste. 402, San Francisco, CA 94102.

Changes to the Supervised Visitation Provider List (including removal, information changes or to be added)

All information must be submitted in writing by emailing fcsmediation@sfcourt.org or by mail to Family Court Services 400 McAllister Street, Ste. 402, San Francisco, CA 94102.

Anyone who wishes to be added to the Professional Supervised Visitation Provider List must complete and comply with the requirements.

Qualified trainings can be accessed at the Judicial Council of California. For information visit: Here.

Nonprofessional Providers Supervising Child Visits

DISCLAIMER: A nonprofessional provider is someone who does not have special training to supervise parents visiting with their child. They may monitor the exchanges of a child between the parents. A nonprofessional provider may be a friend or family member which both parents agree to have supervise the visit or the exchange. They do not get paid.

A nonprofessional provider should:

  • Make safety their top priority during the visit or exchange
  • Speak the same language as the parents and child
  • Be neutral
  • Be comfortable following the judge’s order
  • Feel comfortable ending a visit, if needed

A qualified nonprofessional provider must not have a record of child abuse, child molestation, or any crime against another person. They do not qualify if they have been on probation or parole in the last 10 years.

  1. The nonprofessional provider must read and understand the judge’s order.
  2. They must also complete a court form FL-324(NP) 

To learn more about this role, go to A Guide for Non-Professional Providers. This information is in Spanish. To better understand your role, a free training is available at

http://www2.courtinfo.ca.gov/accesstovisitation/story_html5.html

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