Family Law (Divorce & Custody) in Los Angeles County
By Find Local Law Editorial Team · Last reviewed: May 26, 2026
Researched and drafted with AI assistance and verified against primary sources (statutes, Judicial Council forms, and official court websites). This is general information, not legal advice.
If you’re facing a divorce or custody matter in Los Angeles County, your case is heard in the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles. California unified its trial courts, so there are no separate family courts — divorce, custody, and support are all decided in the family law departments of the county Superior Court, with principal proceedings centered in Los Angeles.
What’s local is where your case is heard. Los Angeles County is vast and has several courthouses with family law departments, and which one applies depends on where the parties live and the court’s local rules. To file for divorce here you’ll generally need to meet California’s residency rule — 6 months in the state and 3 months in the county (Fam. Code § 2320). California is also a community-property state.
The substantive law lives in our statewide guides. Start with the California family law hub, then explore divorce, child custody, or property division. To get matched with a local family-law attorney, connect with a lawyer.
Local family court
Court: Divorce, custody, and support cases for Los Angeles County are heard in the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles, which decides family-law matters in its family law division and departments.
Every California family-law case — divorce, custody, and support — is heard in the county's Superior Court, here the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles. The county is large and has several courthouses with family law departments, so which one hears your case depends on where the parties live and the court's local rules. Verify the current courthouse location, hours, and filing procedures on the court's official website before filing.
Get matched with a local attorney in Los Angeles County
Tell us about your situation and we'll connect you with a local attorney who handles matters like yours. Free, no obligation.
Start your free intakeFrequently asked questions
- Where do I file for divorce in Los Angeles County?
- In the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles. There are no separate family courts in California; divorce is handled in the family law departments of the county Superior Court. Los Angeles County has multiple courthouses, so confirm the correct location on the court's official website before filing.
- How long must I live in Los Angeles County before filing for divorce here?
- California requires you to be a resident of the state for 6 months and of the county where you file for 3 months before a divorce petition (Fam. Code § 2320). So you'll generally need 3 months of residence in Los Angeles County to file here.
- Does Los Angeles County have its own custody laws?
- No. Custody law is statewide in California; the county Superior Court applies it. What's local is which Los Angeles courthouse and department hears your case — see the court's official site and our statewide custody guide.