How to Find Your Family Court Phone Number
There is no single family court phone number and no national family court. Family court is filed and heard county by county under each state's court system, so the number you need belongs to the clerk of court in the county where your case is filed.
Work out which county your case belongs to first. It is the county where the children have been living, or the county where an existing case was already opened. If a case is open, the county is printed on your paperwork next to the case number.
Most questions belong to the clerk of court rather than a judge's office: filing fees, what a forms packet needs, whether a document was received, hearing dates, and copies. Ask for the family division by name and give your case number if you have one.
Get the number from the county clerk or court website, or the state judicial branch directory. Third-party listing sites go stale and often point at the wrong division.
Court staff cannot give legal advice. A clerk can tell you which form, which fee and which deadline. A clerk cannot tell you what to file, what to say, or what a judge will do. For guidance on your own case, speak with a licensed attorney in your state.
Frequently asked questions
Is there one family court phone number for the whole country?
No. There is no national family court and no single national number. Family court is run at the county level under each state's court system, so the correct number is the one for the clerk of court in the county where your case is filed.
Should I call the clerk of court or the judge's office?
Start with the clerk of court. The clerk handles filings, fees, forms, copies, hearing dates and case records, which covers most of what parents call about. A judge's chambers handles scheduling on an existing case, and a judge cannot hear one side of a case privately.
Can court staff give me legal advice over the phone?
No, and they are not allowed to. Clerks can explain procedure: which form, which fee, which deadline, which window. They cannot tell you what to file, what to say, or what a judge is likely to do. For advice on your own case, speak with a licensed attorney in your state.
What information should I have ready before I call?
Have your case number, both parents' full names, the children's names, any hearing date or deadline you are calling about, and the exact name of the form or document in question. Write down the date, who you spoke to, and what they told you.
What if the county clerk's number is not answering?
County clerk lines are busiest first thing in the morning and just after lunch. Many counties also publish an email address, a self-help centre line, or a live chat that is quicker than the phone. If a deadline is close, go to the courthouse in person rather than waiting on a call back.
Does FamilyCourtHelp.com have a family court phone number I can call?
No. FamilyCourtHelp.com is a private educational platform. It is not a court, not a government agency, and not affiliated with any state judiciary, so it has no court phone line and cannot take filings or look up your case.