Co-Parenting Classes for Orange County Family Courts
Going through a divorce, custody case, or parenting plan dispute in Orange County? Unlike Los Angeles with its twelve family law locations, OC concentrates family law at one place: the Lamoreaux Justice Center in Orange. This guide covers how OC's process works and where a co-parenting class fits.
The Two Requirements Orange County Parents Mix Up
Court paperwork in OC custody cases can point at two different kinds of parent education. Match yours to the right one before you spend a minute or a dollar.
FCS Mediation + Orientation Video
Orange County's Family Court Services provides child custody mediation — mandatory in contested custody and visitation cases under Family Code section 3170, and free. Before mediation, parties must view the court's Orientation to Mediation video.
- Mediation is required when custody or visitation is contested
- Orientation video must be viewed first — available in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Korean, Mandarin, Farsi, and Arabic
- Family Court Services is at the Lamoreaux Justice Center, 5th floor
4-Hour Co-Parenting Class
The parent education described by California Family Code sections 3200–3204 — ordered by judges in some cases, built into stipulated parenting plans, or taken proactively before a hearing. That's what our 4-hour online class is for.
- 4 hours, fully online and self-paced
- Free to start — pay $39.99 only after you pass
- Certificate downloads instantly
Honest note: our class does not replace Orange County's mediation or its orientation video — those are the court's own steps. If your paperwork is ambiguous, ask your judicial officer or the Self-Help Center at the Lamoreaux Justice Center, or send the wording to our 24/7 chat and we'll tell you plainly whether our course fits.
Where Orange County Hears Family Law
Orange County Superior Court concentrates its family law operations at a single courthouse:
| Courthouse | Address |
|---|---|
| Lamoreaux Justice Center (all OC family law) | 341 The City Drive, Orange, CA 92868 |
Family Court Services is on the 5th floor (Room 507). Confirm your department on your case paperwork or at occourts.org.
Filing Your Certificate in Orange County
- Finish the class and download your certificate — it includes your name, completion date, course duration, and a unique verification ID.
- Check your order for instructions. Some orders name a deadline or tell you exactly where proof goes; that language controls.
- File or bring it. Absent specific instructions, parents typically file the certificate with the clerk at their assigned courthouse under their case number, and bring copies to the next hearing — one for the court, one for the other side.
- Free local help: the Self-Help Center at the Lamoreaux Justice Center assists with forms and filing procedure at no charge.
Orange County Questions
Does Orange County require a co-parenting class?
Not in every case. Contested custody cases require Family Court Services mediation, preceded by the court's free Orientation to Mediation video - both run by the court. A co-parenting class is the separate parent-education piece: judges order one in some cases, attorneys stipulate to one in parenting plans, and many parents enroll proactively. Check your order, or ask at the Lamoreaux Self-Help Center.
Where will my Orange County custody case be heard?
At the Lamoreaux Justice Center, 341 The City Drive in Orange - OC concentrates its family law courtrooms, clerks, and Family Court Services in that one building, unlike neighboring counties that spread family law across multiple courthouses. Your case paperwork shows your department.
What is the Orientation to Mediation video?
A free video the court requires parties to watch before their Family Court Services mediation session. It explains how OC mediation works and is available in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Korean, Mandarin, Farsi, and Arabic on the court's website. It is a court requirement - separate from any co-parenting class.
How do I give my certificate to an Orange County court?
Download it instantly when you pass, then follow any instructions in your order. Otherwise, parents typically file the certificate with the clerk at the Lamoreaux Justice Center under their case number and bring copies to the next hearing - one for the court, one for the other side. The Self-Help Center there can confirm the procedure for free.
Ready to Start?
Our California court-approved co-parenting class is built around the Family Code's parent-education topics, reviewed by a licensed clinician, and free to start — you pay $39.99 only after you pass.
Start For FreeTakes just 60 seconds • No credit card required
Also helpful: our free custody schedule calculator and California court acceptance guide.