Some California family courts require parties and attorneys to meet before a Request for Order hearing. The purpose is to identify disputed issues, exchange necessary information, and determine whether any part of the dispute can be resolved without court intervention.

Local Court Rules May Control

Meet-and-confer requirements can vary by county and courtroom. A local rule may specify when the meeting must occur, who must participate, and what information must be exchanged.

Parties should review the court’s procedures when the hearing is scheduled. Assuming that every courthouse follows the same process can result in missed requirements or inadequate preparation.

The Discussion Should Address Pending Issues

The parties may be expected to review each requested order and identify areas of agreement and disagreement. A focused discussion can narrow the hearing to the issues the judge must actually decide.

Meeting does not require either party to surrender a claim or accept an unsafe arrangement. It requires a genuine effort to clarify the dispute and determine whether lawful, voluntary agreements are possible.

Relevant Information May Need to Be Exchanged

The meeting may include inspection of documents that were not already filed or served. When financial relief is requested, income information, tax records, payment histories, and other supporting documents may need to be reviewed.

The parties should preserve objections involving relevance, privilege, privacy, or incomplete disclosure. Informal exchange should not be used to avoid applicable discovery and financial-disclosure duties.

Unresolved Issues Still Proceed to Court

If no agreement is reached, the hearing remains necessary. If some issues are resolved, the parties can identify those agreements and present the remaining disputes more efficiently.

Existing court orders remain binding before and after the meeting unless the court approves a stipulation or enters a different order. An informal discussion does not modify an order.

A California family-law attorney can identify the local requirements, prepare the necessary documents, conduct the meet-and-confer process, and clearly present any unresolved issues at the hearing.