§ 3026 Family Reunification Service Limits

Family Code·California

AI SummaryVerified

This law says that in cases about who gets to take care of a kid or see them, the court can't force the family to go to counseling or services to try and fix their problems.

Key Takeaways

•Courts can't order family counseling in custody or visitation cases.
•This rule doesn't change other laws about family services in different situations.
•Parents still have to follow other court orders, just not forced reunification services.

Example

A mom and dad are fighting in court over who their kid should live with.

The judge can't make them go to family counseling to try and work things out. They have to figure out custody or visitation without the court ordering those services.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source

View on CA.gov

§ 3026 Family Reunification Service Limits

Family reunification services shall not be ordered as a part of a child custody or visitation rights proceeding. Nothing in this section affects the applicability of Section 16507 of the Welfare and Institutions Code. (Amended by Stats. 1993, Ch. 219, Sec. 116.16. Effective January 1, 1994.)

Last verified: January 9, 2026

Key Terms

Family reunification services child custody visitation rights proceeding Section 16507 of the Welfare and Institutions Code

References

Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
California Legislature. Family Code. Section 3026.

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Key Takeaways

Example

Key Terms

Related Statutes

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