Form FL-180 at a glance
What it is: Form FL-180 is the JUDGMENT (Family Law) form, Form Adopted for Mandatory Use by the Judicial Council of California.
Who signs: The JUDICIAL OFFICER signs and enters the Date. SIGNATURE FOLLOWS LAST ATTACHMENT.
A filled-in Form FL-180 example: a filer completes the heading and the children list
How to fill out Form FL-180, box by box
Attorney or party, and the court
Enter the Name, State Bar number, and address under ATTORNEY OR PARTY WITHOUT ATTORNEY (Name, State Bar number, and address).
Enter the TELEPHONE NO., the FAX NO. (Optional) and the E-MAIL ADDRESS (Optional).
Enter the Name after ATTORNEY FOR (Name).
After SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF, enter the county, the STREET ADDRESS, the MAILING ADDRESS, the CITY AND ZIP CODE and the BRANCH NAME.
Marriage or partnership of
Under MARRIAGE OR PARTNERSHIP OF, enter the PETITIONER and the RESPONDENT.
NULLITY, LEGAL SEPARATION or DISSOLUTION, and line 1 restraining orders
Mark NULLITY, LEGAL SEPARATION or DISSOLUTION; for a dissolution, mark Status only or Reserving jurisdiction over termination of marital or domestic partnership status.
Mark Judgment on reserved issues if it applies. Enter the Date marital or domestic partnership status ends.
On line 1, mark if this judgment contains personal conduct restraining orders or modifies existing restraining orders. The restraining orders are contained on page(s) of the attachment. They expire on (date).
Lines 2 and 3, the hearing and the respondent
On line 2, mark how this proceeding was heard: Default or uncontested, By declaration under Family Code section 2336, Contested or Agreement in court; enter the Room, Dept. and Date.
Enter the Judicial officer (name), marking Temporary judge if it applies. Mark Petitioner present in court, Respondent present in court and each Attorney present in court (name) only for those present in court.
Enter the Claimant present in court (name) and any Other (specify name).
On line 3, enter the date the court acquired jurisdiction of the respondent on (date). Mark The respondent appeared. or The respondent was served with process.
Line 4, the court orders (a to h)
Mark line 4a if a Judgment of dissolution is entered, and Marital or domestic partnership status is terminated and the parties are restored to the status of single persons on (specify date): or on a date to be determined on noticed motion of either party or on stipulation.
Mark line 4b if Judgment of legal separation is entered.
Mark line 4c if Judgment of nullity is entered. The parties are declared to be single persons on the ground of (specify).
On line 4d, enter the date of (date) if This judgment will be entered nunc pro tunc.
On line 4e, mark Judgment on reserved issues. On line 4f, mark petitioner's or respondent's and enter the former name restored to (specify).
Mark line 4g if Jurisdiction is reserved over all other issues, and all present orders remain in effect except as provided below.
On line 4h, if this judgment contains provisions for child support or family support, each party must complete and file with the court a Child Support Case Registry Form (form FL-191) within 10 days of the date of this judgment.
The parents must notify the court of any change in the information submitted within 10 days of the change, by filing an updated form.
Line 4, children, support, property and fees (i to o)
Enter the CASE NAME (Last name, first name of each party).
On line 4i, enter the Name and Birthdate of the children of this marriage or domestic partnership. Mark Parentage is established for children of this relationship born prior to the marriage or domestic partnership only if it applies.
On line 4j, Child custody and visitation (parenting time) are ordered as set forth in the attached Settlement agreement, stipulation for judgment, or other written agreement which contains the information required by Family Code section 3048(a).
On line 4j, Child Custody and Visitation Order Attachment (form FL-341), Stipulation and Order for Custody and/or Visitation of Children (form FL-355), or Previously established in another case. Case number: Court:
On line 4k, Child support is ordered as set forth in the attached Settlement agreement, stipulation for judgment, or other written agreement which contains the declarations required by Family Code section 4065(a), Child Support Information and Order Attachment (form FL-342), Stipulation to Establish or Modify Child Support and Order (form FL-350), or Previously established in another case. Case number: Court:
On line 4l, Spousal, domestic partner, or family support is ordered: Reserved for future determination as relates to petitioner respondent; Jurisdiction terminated to order spousal or partner support to petitioner respondent.
On line 4l, As set forth in the attached Spousal, Partner, or Family Support Order Attachment (form FL-343); or Other (specify): As set forth in the attached settlement agreement, stipulation for judgment, or other written agreement.
On line 4m, Property division is ordered as set forth in the attached Settlement agreement, stipulation for judgment, or other written agreement or Other (specify): Property Order Attachment to Judgment (form FL-345).
On line 4n, Attorney fees and costs are ordered as set forth in the attached Settlement agreement, stipulation for judgment, or other written agreement, Attorney Fees and Costs Order (form FL-346) or Other (specify).
On line 4o, enter Other (specify).
Each attachment to this judgment is incorporated into this judgment, and the parties are ordered to comply with each attachment's provisions. Jurisdiction is reserved to make other orders necessary to carry out this judgment.
Pages attached and the judicial officer
On line 5, enter the Number of pages attached.
The JUDICIAL OFFICER signs and enters the Date. SIGNATURE FOLLOWS LAST ATTACHMENT.
More rules for Form FL-180
Dissolution or legal separation may automatically cancel the rights of a spouse or domestic partner under the other spouse's or domestic partner's will, trust, retirement plan, power of attorney, pay-on-death bank account, transfer-on-death vehicle registration, survivorship rights to any property owned in joint tenancy, and any other similar property interest. It does not automatically cancel the rights of a spouse or domestic partner as beneficiary of the other spouse's or domestic partner's life insurance policy.
You should review these matters, as well as any credit cards, other credit accounts, insurance policies, retirement plans, and credit reports, to determine whether they should be changed or whether you should take any other actions.
A debt or obligation may be assigned to one party as part of the dissolution of property and debts, but if that party does not pay the debt or obligation, the creditor may be able to collect from the other party.
An earnings assignment may be issued without additional proof if child, family, partner, or spousal support is ordered. Any party required to pay support must pay interest on overdue amounts at the "legal rate," which is currently 10 percent.
Sources
[1] Form FL-180 (Rev. July 1, 2012), Judgment (Family Law), Judicial Council of California (the Official source link on this page).
