Family Law Tentative Rulings

The family court issues tentative ruling announcements on the court day prior to the scheduled hearing for specific types of motions. Tentative rulings are only provided on the Internet and posted in the clerk’s office lobby. Internet postings occur at 3:30 p.m. daily.

Parties are not required to give notice of intent to appear to preserve the right to a hearing. The tentative ruling will not become final until the hearing. (Stan. Cnty. Local Rules, rule 7.05.1) However, as a courtesy to the Court, and other parties or counsel with matters on calendar, notice of intended appearance or non-appearance is encouraged and may be sent by e-mail to the following address: familylaw.tentatives@stanct.org between the hours of 1:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. If you do not receive a confirmation e-mail from the clerk, you may call to speak directly with a Calendar Clerk at 209-530-3107.

Any party filing pleadings or documents on a tentative ruling matter within five (5) days of the hearing should provide a courtesy copy to the Courtroom Clerk and the Court’s Family Law Research Attorney by placing a copy in the drop box slot on the door of Room 223, Second Floor of the main Courthouse. Failure to do so may prevent the Court from consideration of such, may result in a continuance, and/or may be considered in the award of conduct-based fees and costs. (Stan. Cnty. Local Rules, rule 7.05.1(B).)

All parties and counsel are required to meet and confer in a good faith effort to resolve the dispute on any request, motion or hearing, with the exception of those involving domestic violence, and to exchange any documents upon which reliance will be made at the hearing. (Cal. Rules of Ct., rule 5.98; Stan. Cnty. Local Rules, rule 7.05.1(C).) Failure to do so may result in a continuance and may be considered in the award of conduct-based fees and costs, or both. If sufficient information regarding an adequate pre-hearing meet and confer effort is not provided in the moving and opposing papers, in the Court’s discretion, the matter may be placed at the end of the calendar and not called until the parties or counsel advise the Court that they have complied with their obligations and/or resolved the matters own motion, the Court orders Respondent to comply within thirty (30) days of this ruling and admonishes Respondent that the failure to do so may result in the striking of the Response and entry of Respondent’s default.

Date: 4/14/2026

The following are the tentative ruling cases calendared before Judge Alan Cassidy in Department #11: 

FL-25-003026 – SINGH VS SINGH

Petitioner’s Request for Order re Child support, Sale of Automobile, FC271.—HEARING REQUIRED.

The following are the tentative ruling cases calendared before Judge J. Richard Distaso in Department #13:

7001633 – STANISLAUS COUNTY VS CARTER

Third-Party’s Motion re Joinder, etc.—HEARING REQUIRED.

Respondent and Other Parent are the biological parents of the subject minor and Third-Party is the paternal grandmother of the minor child who seeks to be joined for the purpose of grandparent visitation.  The parents are unmarried and a conditionally non-modifiable custody and visitation order was made on August 2, 2016, and is now the subject of a pending modification request filed by Respondent.  Under these circumstances, grandparent visitation is governed by Family Code section 3104 and joinder may not be granted until the Court first finds, by clear and convincing evidence, that court-ordered visitation over the objection of a fit parent having primary child custody is in the best interests of the minor child.  Accordingly, the parties shall appear and, unless the objecting parent(s) withdraw objection, the matter will be set for long-cause hearing.

The following are the tentative ruling cases calendared before Judge Sarah Birmingham in Department #14: 

THERE ARE NO TENTATIVES.

The following are the tentative ruling cases calendared before Judge Maria Elena Ramos-Ratliff in Department #25: 

FL-20-000964 – LEAL VS LEAL

Respondent’s Request for Order re Dismissal, etc.—GRANTED, and unopposed.

Proof of service is on file as to the subject plan and Petitioner, and asserts presumptively timely and valid service in compliance with Family Code section 215 and the Rules of Court.  No Responsive Declaration or other opposition to the request has been filed.

Accordingly, based on the parties’ final judgment awarding the subject plan to Respondent and Respondent’s Declaration attesting to the plan’s requirement of a court order to effectuate the terms of the judgment, and good cause appearing to the satisfaction of the Court, the Court grants Respondent’s request to voluntary dismiss with prejudice the joinder of said plan.  Respondent’s counsel shall prepare the order in accordance with the Rules of Court.