Applying to the family court judge (JAF): jurisdiction, procedure and forms

Published on 09/07/2026

The children's residence, child maintenance, parental authority, divorce: when a family disagreement finds no way out, it is the family court judge (juge aux affaires familiales, JAF) who decides. But you still have to know how to refer the matter to them. Here, in a documentary way, is what the law provides — jurisdiction, forms, procedure and cost.

Who is the JAF and what do they judge?

The family court judge is a magistrate of the judicial court (tribunal judiciaire). Their jurisdiction is set by Article L213-3 of the Code of Judicial Organisation. They hear notably:

divorce and legal separation, and their consequences;
parental authority (the child's residence, contact and accommodation rights);
the contribution to the children's maintenance and education (child maintenance) and maintenance obligations;
the liquidation of the patrimonial interests of spouses, PACS partners and cohabitants;
the protection of victims of violence (protection order).

Do you need a lawyer? It depends on the matter

This is the most frequent question, and the answer is not the same depending on the subject. The page Is a lawyer mandatory in a civil trial? distinguishes, before the JAF:

Lawyer not mandatory: parental authority (residence, contact rights, child maintenance), contribution to the expenses of the marriage, delegation of parental authority, protection of victims of domestic violence.
Lawyer mandatory: divorce and legal separation, revision of the compensatory allowance, liquidation-division, withdrawal of parental authority, grandparents' contact rights, actions relating to filiation.

For a divorce, each spouse must therefore have their own lawyer.

Which court to apply to?

The territorially competent court depends on your situation (Article 1070 of the Code of Civil Procedure). In short, it is the judge of the place where:

the family resides; or, if the parents live separately,
the parent with whom the minor children habitually live resides; or, in other cases,
the one who did not take the initiative in the proceedings resides.

It is therefore not automatically the court of the person who applies — a point to check before filing.

Application or summons: how to refer the matter in practice

Outside divorce, Article 1137 of the Code of Civil Procedure allows the JAF to be seised by application (the simplest route) or by summons.

By application, without a lawyer: you use Cerfa form No. 11530*11 "Application to the family court judge" — for parental authority, the child's residence, contact rights and child maintenance. An online service "Application to the JAF online" exists for procedures without a mandatory lawyer.
Divorce is initiated by summons or by joint application, with a lawyer (judicial divorce procedure).

⚠️ Violence. If you are in danger, the application for a protection order is made on a separate form, Cerfa No. 15458*07. In cases of violence, a dedicated number exists: 3919 (Violences Femmes Info), free and anonymous.

The process: from summons to decision

Once seised, the registry summons the parties. The hearing before the JAF is held in chambers (chambre du conseil) (a non-public hearing). The judge first tries to reconcile the parties; they may propose family mediation to them, or even order them to meet a mediator for information — except where violence is alleged by one parent against the other or against the child, or in the event of manifest coercive control (Article 373-2-10 of the Civil Code). In divorce matters, a hearing on provisional measures organises the family's life (residence, maintenance, housing) during the proceedings. The judge then hands down their decision.

You can generally appeal within one month of service of the judgment (reduced to 15 days in certain matters), the appeal then requiring a lawyer.

How much does it cost?

Since 1 March 2026, filing an application before the family court judge requires paying a legal aid contribution of 50 € (a tax stamp bought online), like most first-instance civil applications. Two important exceptions: beneficiaries of legal aid (aide juridictionnelle) are exempt, and the approval of an amicable parental agreement (Article 373-2-7 of the Civil Code) remains free. Added to this, where applicable, are the lawyer's fees — a lawyer being mandatory for certain procedures (divorce, withdrawal of parental authority…) and optional for others. Subject to income conditions, legal aid can cover these costs in whole or in part — see our guide Legal aid.

A clear and orderly file saves time at the hearing — and money when a lawyer bills by the hour. Gathering dated facts, numbered documents and prepared questions is exactly what Aridelle is designed to make easier. See also our guides Building an evidence file for the JAF and Keeping a timeline of events.

For any individual situation, turn to a lawyer, a point-justice or Allô Service Public (3939).