FAQs
The length of time depends upon the Petitioner(s). The Petitioner(s)
will be required to submit several documents, including certified
copies of both birth certificates, a marriage certificate, prior
divorce decrees, employment verifications, letters of reference and
consents, etc.. A home study and recommendation will also need to be
prepared by the Court Investigators or Department of Social Services,
depending upon which type of adoption proceeding you file. The parental
rights of one biological parent may need to be terminated. An adoption
can take anywhere from approximately six months to a year to complete.
It is possible to represent yourself in adoption proceedings. Many
prospective parents represent themselves in their adoption cases.
However, it is a good idea to consult with an attorney as to the proper
forms to file and procedures to follow throughout your case. It is also
helpful to visit your local law library for more information.
Addtional Adoption Information
A stepparent adoption is where a person adopts his or her spouse's or registered domestic partner's child.
If you are not married to or in a registered domestic partnership with the child's legal parent, you cannot do a stepparent adoption. You might want to talk to a lawyer to see what other options you have.
A stepparent adoption packet is located in the Family Law and Probate Division clerks office.
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Solano County does not accept FAX filings unless it is through a FAX filing agency.
The court prefers that all forms be typed.
You should provide an original and two copies.
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This fee applies to Civil, Family and Probate proceedings initiated by a party to the action.
Only one $30.00 fee is collected for each proceeding. The party initiating the proceeding is responsible for paying the fee.
For moving papers filed on or after August 1, 2012, the $30.00 fee will be collected from the initiating party when the moving papers are filed with the clerk.
For moving papers filed prior to August 1, 2012, with a calendar date after August 1, 2012, the initiating party may be advised at the beginning of their hearing to pay the $30.00 in the clerk�s office when the hearing is concluded.
The fee is non-refundable even if the proceeding is taken off calendar.
No. The $30.00 fee, as well as the court reporter fees for proceedings exceeding one hour will be collected from a public entity.
No. The payment of the fee is not subject to the request of the party.
Yes. The court may (but is not required to) waive fees itemized in the Request to Waive Court Fees (FW-001).
The four primary changes related to the deposit of the advance jury fees are:
- The fee is fixed at $150.00 rather than limited to $150.00.
- The fees must be deposited earlier than previously required.
- Fees deposited after June 27, 2012 will be non-refundable.
- The fees will no longer be credited to the actual jury fees and costs paid by the party on the second day of trial.
Beginning June 28, 2012, the advance jury fees must be deposited:
- On or before the date scheduled for the initial case management conference in the action; or
- If no case management conference is scheduled, no later than 365 days after the filing of the initial complaint; or
- If the party has not appeared before the initial case management conference or has appeared more than 365 days after the filing of the initial complaint, at least 25 calendar days before the date initially set for trial; or
- If the case is an unlawful detainer action, at lease five days before the date set for trial.
No. The advance jury fees, as well as the daily jury fees will be collected from a public entity.
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- Proper identification (driver’s license, passport, other picture identification)
- Copy of citation
- Notice of Hearing
- Bond receipts, cash bail receipts, etc.
- Jail release paperwork
- Any documents which prove that you have complied with the judicial orders and/or sentencing
- Cash, personal check, or postal money order to pay for fines and fees
You may request a Public Defender from the Judge at your first appearance, the arraignment hearing. The court will make a determination to appoint a Public Defender for you.
You may access the Court’s website at
www.solano.courts.ca.gov
and search in CourtConnect by your name, or you may contact the Clerk’s office in person, or by telephone to obtain this information.
A bench warrant may have been issued for your failure to appear. Appear in person at the Criminal Clerk’s office on Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. If you are eligible, you will be given a new court date in two weeks. If you posted a bail bond, the bond was forfeited and you will be required to appear with a Reassumption of Liability obtained through the bond company at the next court hearing date.
You can appear at the Solano County Sheriff’s Department at 530 Union, Suite 100, Fairfield, CA 94533.
Or, depending on where the violation occurred and which location the case was filed appear at the Criminal Clerk’s offices, from 8:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Court Locations
are 530 Union Ave., Suite 200, Fairfield, CA 94533, or 321 Tuolumne Ave., Vallejo, CA to determine if the court will place your matter on calendar. The bench warrant will remain outstanding until you appear at the next court hearing date.
You can mail your fines and fees, or pay in person to the appropriate
court locations
from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Domestic Violence happens in many forms between two people in an intimate relationship. Physical violence includes kicking, punching, shoving, slapping or striking in any way that hurts your body. Sexual violence includes unwelcome touching, fondling or forced intimacy. Emotional violence using coercion or threats and anger to create a controlling and fearful relationship.
There is a domestic violence forms packet available in the Family Law Division Clerk's Office, the Solano Legal Access Center or can be downloaded at
www.courts.ca.gov
. The forms packet is complete with instructions and is free of charge.
Ex Parte applications or emergency hearings are heard by appointment only. The appointment must be scheduled directly with a family law judicial assistant. The fee for a ex parte application is $40. There is no fee for submitting an domestic violence restraining order.
All ex parte applications and domestic violence restraining orders must be completed and ready for submission before 1 p.m.
The Solano Legal Access Center (SLAC) is located on the second floor in the Hall of Justice at 600 Union Avenue, Fairfield CA. They are open every weekday with the exception of Wednesday from 8:15 to 2:00 p.m.
See the Solano Legal Access Center page for more details.
If you represent yourself, it is YOUR responsibility to prepare a
Findings and Order After Hearing or other applicable order. You may
purchase copies of the minute order from the hearing at the Family Law
Division of the Clerk's Office for a charge of $.50 per page. The
minute order can provide you with information needed for your order
after hearing, i.e., the judge's name, the department, date and
specific orders made by the judge. Refer to Solano County Local Rules
of Court 5.9 for more instructions. The Local Rules of Court can be
downloaded or viewed from this website.
The process of obtaining a divorce begins when you file the initial papers. Your dissolution is not complete until all disagreements are settleed and you have prepared and filed all necessary paperwork with the court, and you receive a Notice of Entry of Judgment. You are not divorced until your judgment is filed and entered by the court.
A person is able to remarry only after the judgment has been entered ending your martial status. The earliest date mairtal status can be ended is six months and one day after the Respondent was served with the Summons and Petition for Dissolution.
It is the responsibility of either or both parties to prepare and file all documents and bring your case to Judgment. It is important that you seek legal advice if you have any questions.
Absolutely not! In California, there is a MINIMUM time of 6 months and
1 day from the date the Respondent is served before a divorce can
become final.
There may be a time, even years after your divorce, that you need a copy of the divorce papers.
To get copies of divorce documents, go to the courthouse in Fairfield located at 600 Union Avenue and ask for a copy or send a request through the mail.
To request a copy by mail, send us:
1. Your written request, including your case number if you have it. If you do not have your case number, include in your letter the first and last names of both parties and the approximate year of the divorce. This information will help our office locate your case number. If it takes our office more than 10 minutes to locate your case number, a $10 search fee is required in addition to the fees outlined below.
2. A check payable to the Solano Superior Court in the amount of $15 for a certified copy or .50 cents per side per page. If you do not need a certified copy we recommend sending a check not to exceed $15.
3. A self-addressed stampled legal-sized envelope with enough postage to mail you back your documents.
If you have an existing case, please bring your case number, the names of the involved parties and any documents you may have filed in that case. There may be applicable filing fees. The Family Law Division of the Clerk's Office accepts cash, check, Visa, Mastercard or Discover card.
Additional Family Law Court Information
Paternity is the legal determination of fatherhood. Establishing paternity is the legal process of determining the biological father of a child. When parents are married, in most cases, paternity is established without legal action. If parents are unmarried, establishment of paternity requires a court order. This process should be started by both parents as soon as possible for the benefit of the child(ren).
Until paternity is established, the father does not have the legal rights or responsibilities of a parent. Establishing paternity is neccessary before custody; visitation and child support may be ordered by the court.
There is a filing fee for all matters except Domestic Violence restraining orders and Department of Child Support cases. If you cannot afford to pay filing fees, you may request an Request to Waive Court Fees and Costs. Forms are available at both locations of the clerk's office or you can download the forms at the California Judicial Council's website:
http://www.courts.ca.gov/forms.htm
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Yes. It is a right of citizenship and required by law.
We obtain names from the Department of Motor Vehicles and the Registrar of Voters. If the information you provide to these two sources is not identical you may receive two summonses.
If you are acquainted with the individual and familiar with their circumstance, you may complete and return the summons on their behalf. Sign the summons indicating your relationship to the summoned juror. If you are not acquainted with the person, state on the front of the unopened summons "this person is no longer at this address" and place the summons back in the mail. The Department of Motor Vehicles and the Registrar of Voters is our source of information. You should notify these two sources to avoid receiving any further jury summonses at your address.
Yes. A juror must provide a physician's verification note on a prescription pad or letterhead signed by a doctor. The note must state that the juror cannot serve on jury duty for medical reasons and should indicate the length or duration of the illness or problem. If the condition is permanent or long term, the physician must also include that information in his/her statement. Obtaining a copy of your doctor's letter for your personal file is advised.
No. Only peace officer's whose positions are defined under Penal Code sections 830.1, 830.2(a-c) and 830.33(a) are exempt from jury service.
No. Neither stay at home parents nor childcare providers are exempt or excused from jury service. Children are not allowed in the courtrooms. Alternative arrangements will need to be made. If additional time is needed to arrange for childcare complete and return the section titled "Request for Postponement".
No. However, Solano County Superior Court requires individuals over the age of 70 who prefer not to attend jury service, complete the section titled "Request To Be Excused" stating their date of birth and a written statement of their request for excuse.
Effective January 3, 2000, prospective jurors may be summoned once a year. Your term of service is One Day or One Trial. Jurors report in person one day, and may be selected to serve on a case of any length. If not selected for a case on that day, services are completed for one year. If you receive more than one summons during the year, you may be in our database more than once. This often occurs if information received from the Department of Motor Vehicles and the Registrar of Voters are not the same. Hyphenated names, maiden and married names, and names containing a space can cause duplication within the database. If you receive a summons earlier than expected, notify the jury office in writing so we may correct the error and update our database.
Additional Juror Information
Pursuant to the California Code of Civil Procedures section 209, the court may find the prospective juror who fails to respond to a jury summons in contempt of court, punishable by fine, incarceration, or both.
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Juvenile records are confidential and not available to the general public. If you are a party in a case, you may come to the Juvenile division and upon completing
Local Form 898
and showing a picture identification card such as a driver's license you may be allowed to view a court file. Welfare and Institutions Code section 827 governs who may review a file and who may have copies of documents from a court file. If you need to request documents from a juvenile court file, you may complete the Request for Disclosure of Juvenile Case File
JV-570
, Notice on Request for Disclosure of Juvenile Case File
JV-571
, Proof of Service of Request for Disclosure of Juvenile Case
JV-569
and submit them to the juvenile court for ruling by a Juvenile Judge.
Information regarding Juvenile cases is restricted to certain court personnel, the minor, the parents or guardians, attorneys involved in the case and other persons designated by the Presiding Judge of the Juvenile Court. Picture identification is required before information is given about a scheduled court date.
If your child is under the age of 18, your child was taken to the Juvenile Detention Facility located at 740 Beck Avenue, Fairfield CA 94533; their phone number is (707) 784-6570. If your child is over the age of 18 they were taken to the Solano County Jail located at 500 Union Avenue, Fairfield CA 94533; their phone number is (707) 421-7130.
The social worker's telephone number should be listed at the end of the most recent court report for your case where the social worker signs their name.
The answer to this question depends on many factors, including the stage of your case. Your attorney should explain your legal rights and the steps you can take to try to have your children returned to your care. The steps may include following orders that you participate in certain programs, visiting your children, and cooperating with the services provided b the social worker.
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Probate is a proceeding in which an executor (if there is a will) or an administrator (if there is no will) is appointed by the court as personal representative to collect the assets, pay the debts and expenses, and then distribute the remainder of the estate to the beneficiaries (those who are entitled to inherit), all under the supervision of the court. The entire proceeding will take from approximately nine months to one in half years from the time of filing to the final distribution.
If you have the legal right to inherit personal property, like money in a bank account or stocks, the entire estate is worth $150,000 or less, and there is no real property (land) in the estate you may not have to go to court.
There is a simplified process that can sometimes be used to transfer the property to your name. This process generally cannot be used for real property like a house. The Affidavit Procedure for Collection of Transfer of Personal Property can be found in the Probate Code under Section 13100. Check with a qualified probate attorney as to whether this procedure is appropriate.
If the deceased person's property is worth more than $150,000, you must go to court and start a probate case.
To do this, you must file one of these petitions form
(DE-111)
.
Petition for Letters Testamentary
Petition for Letters of Administration with Will Annexed
Petition for Letters of Administration
Petition for Letters of Special Administration
You may be able to use a simple form (
DE-221
) called a Spousal Property Petition, to get a court order that says what your share of the community property is and what part of your deceased spouses's share of community and separate property belongs to you.
The person who has the will at the time of the person's death is the custodian of the will.
Pursuant to Probate Code Section 8200 the custodian has 30 says to lodge the original will with the Probate Clerk's Office:
Hall of Justice
Family Law, Probate and Adoption Division
600 Union Avenue
Fairfield CA 94533
The custodian must also send a copy fo the Will to the Executor. If the custodian does not do these things, he or she can be sued for damages caused.
Additional Probate Information
If there is no will and a court case is needed, the court will appoint an Administrator to manage the estate during the Probate process.
The person who wants to be the administrator must file a Petition for Letters of Administration. The Administrator usually is the spouse, domestic partner or close relative of the deceased person.
1. The probate clerks sets a hearing date. 2. The petitioner must give the court notice of the hearing to anyone who may have the right to get some part of the estate. The petitioner cannot be the one to mail the notice. It must be mailed by any other adult. 3. A Court Probate Examiner reviews the case before the hearing to see if it was done correctly.
Petition to Determine Succession to Real Property $150,000 limit. You can reference Probate Code Section 13151. You must file documents with the court and get an order. The total estate is $150,000 or less.
Forms needed:
DE-310
,
DE-160
,
DE-120
, and
DE-315
.
Total estate is $50,000 or less, real property only. You can reference Probate Code Section 13200. You must file with the court but no order is required.
Forms needed:
DE-305
and
DE-160
.
Contact a qualified probate attorney to review your specific situation and to advise you whether a probate is necessary. An attorney can give you detalied instructions as to how to change title to assets and collect benefits, and assist in preparing any documents you may need. Most important, an attorney can represent you in court if a probate is necessary, and make sure you do not violate your fiduciary duty to the beneficiaries. You can contact the Solano County Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service at (707) 422-5087.
Guardianship is a court process by which a person other than a parent is given custody of a child or authority over a child's property. Appointment as guardian requires the filing of a petiiton and approval by the court.
If the court appoints you as a guardian for a child, you will assume important duties and obligations. You will become responsible to the court. It is essential that you clearly understand your duties and responsibilities as guardian. If you have any questions, your should consult with an attorney who is qualified to advise you in these matters.
A Guardianship packet is located in the Family Law and Probate Division Clerks office, in either Fairfield or Vallejo.
A legal guardian is an adult to whom the court has given authority and responsibility to provide care for a child, or to manage the child's assets, or both.
Relatives, friends of the family, or other interested persons may be considered as potential legal guardians.
Before you file a petition for guardianship, you should consider the following:
1. Is the guardianship really necessary?
2. Have you considered the alternatives?
3. Do the parents consent to the guardianship?
4. Without parental consent, is there enough evidence for you to prove the need for a guardianship?
5. Do you need legal advice or assistance?
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This information may be downloaded under "Courts/Small Claims."
Yes. The Superior Court of California provides a Small Claims Advisor at no cost. The Advisor is available to assist with Small Claims issues and procedures from filing through enforcement. The Legal Advisor is available for phone consultation, only. The advisor may be reached Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 12 PM to 4 PM and Tuesday from 1 PM to 5 PM at (707) 344-1446.
You may check the city's business licensing bureau or the county
clerk's fictitious business name index. If the business is a
corporation, check with the California Secretary of State for the exact
name and the agent authorized to receive service of process for the
corporation.
You may request forms either in person or through the mail. If you
wish to receive your forms by mail, send a self-addressed, stamped
envelope.
Additional Small Claims Information
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Not at this time.
The arresting agency may be contacted for a copy of an accident report. At times the judge/commissioner may provide a copy upon court appearance.
Failure to take care of your traffic ticket by your appearance date,
either by paying for it by mail, or by appearing in court on or before,
will result in your case being transferred to a collection agency. An
additional charge of $300.00 will be imposed, and the DMV may suspend
your driver's license. In some instances there may be a warrant ordered
for your arrest.
On your citation there is a location indicated to which you are to report. Court addresses are available on our
Court Locations
page.
Notices sent to you by the courts are done as a courtesy to you. If you don't receive a notice on or before your appearance date, you should make arrangements to contact the appropriate court as listed above.
Additional Traffic Court Information
You may be eligible to attend traffic school if all of the following apply:
�If you have not attended traffic school within the last 18 months prior to this citation;
�You have a valid driver's license;
�You have no outstanding Failures to Appear;
�This citation only involves a moving infraction and does not involve any drug or alcohol violations;
�You were not speeding more than 25 mph over the posted limit.
Failure to attend traffic school can adversely affect your driving record and insurance.
The majority of traffic citations are not mandatory appearances. Check
your courtesy notice for this information. If you signed your citation,
you should at least make sure you contact the court on or before your
court date.
Generally, yes. There are different types of extensions for different
types of traffic matters. The procedures vary between the two courts.
You will need to contact the court listed on your citation for further
details.
Once you have paid your bail plus the $49 traffic school fee to the court, you will receive a 90 day continuance to allow you time to go to school and present proof of completion to the court. Please refer to Traffic School information for the list of schools. You may present proof at any time on or before that date. When proof is presented to the court, the moving violation will be dismissed.
Yes. A fee is due to the court in the amount of the bail plus $49 and a fee to the Traffic School that you attend. Methods of instruction and class fees vary.
Yes. Credit card payments are accepted by calling or clicking the branch link:
Fairfield Branch
- 1-800-496-4085
Vallejo Branch
- 1-800-687-2069
Please note: you must have your docket number and bail amount available to use this method.
You can obtain a list from your local court, from the Department of
Motor Vehicles
http://www.dmv.ca.gov
. You may also check your local yellow pages under Driving Schools.
Clerks are not able to provide legal advice. It is suggested you either contact an attorney or perform your own research prior to filing any paperwork.
Click
Court Declaration
for a Declaration form. This declaration must be filled out properly in order to submit your request to the judicial officer.
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