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Legal Information: California
Laws current as of April 1, 2025 In which county do I file?
You can file a petition in the superior court in any of the following counties:
- where you live or are temporarily located;
- where the abuser lives;
- where the abuse took place;
- where there is another court that has power (jurisdiction) over the parties or the subject matter of the case.1
You do need not be a resident of the state of California to file a petition.1
1 Cal. Fam. Code § 6301(a)
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