Understanding where your California family law case will be filed and heard — and what each courthouse's specific procedures and requirements are — is essential preparation for any divorce, custody, or support proceeding. Furubotten Law, APC practices in both Orange County and Riverside County family law courts, and this guide covers what you need to know about each courthouse where your case may be heard.
Orange County Family Court — Lamoreaux Justice Center
The Orange County family court is located at the Lamoreaux Justice Center, 341 The City Drive South, Orange, CA 92868. Orange County Superior Court family law handles all divorce, custody, support, and restraining order proceedings for the county's approximately three million residents. The Lamoreaux Justice Center is also called the Central Justice Center by some practitioners, though Lamoreaux is the commonly used name for the family law division.
Family court Orange County California filings at the Lamoreaux Justice Center require county residency of at least three months before filing for dissolution. The family law division handles emergency matters — temporary restraining orders, emergency custody orders, and ex parte applications — on an expedited basis, often the same day as filing. Orange County family law courts are among the busier family law dockets in California, and contested matters often take 12-18 months from filing to trial.
Southwest Justice Center — Murrieta
The Riverside County family court for southwestern Riverside County — the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta — is located at 30755-D Auld Road, Murrieta, CA 92563, handles family law matters for the southwestern Riverside County corridor — including Temecula, Murrieta, Wildomar, Lake Elsinore, Menifee, Hemet, and surrounding communities. Most family law filings from these communities are handled at the Southwest Justice Center, which serves one of the fastest-growing family law dockets in California given the significant population growth in southwestern Riverside County.
The Southwest Justice Center family law division follows the same California Family Code rules as Orange County courts but has its own local practices, judicial officer preferences, and court calendars. An attorney who primarily practices in Orange County but occasionally appears in Riverside County will be less effective than one who regularly practices at the Southwest Justice Center and knows its specific procedures.
Menifee Justice Center
The Menifee Justice Center, located at 30755-D Auld Road, Murrieta (sharing a complex with the Southwest Justice Center), handles family law matters for the Menifee, Perris, and surrounding mid-county Riverside County communities. Some matters that might otherwise be filed at the Southwest Justice Center are assigned to the Menifee Justice Center based on the parties' addresses and the court's case management assignments.
Furubotten Law, APC files and appears regularly at all three courthouses — the Lamoreaux Justice Center, Southwest Justice Center, and Menifee Justice Center — providing consistent quality representation throughout both Orange and Riverside Counties. Attorney Denise Furubotten has 30 years of experience in these courts and knows their procedures, judicial officers, and local practices. Call (714) 795-3862 for a complimentary case evaluation.