Chapter 1. General Provisions of California Family Law Code >> Division 5. >> Part 1. >> Chapter 1.

This part may be cited as the Family Conciliation Court Law.

The purposes of this part are to protect the rights of children and to promote the public welfare by preserving, promoting, and protecting family life and the institution of matrimony, and to provide means for the reconciliation of spouses and the amicable settlement of domestic and family controversies.

(a) This part applies only in counties in which the superior court determines that the social conditions in the county and the number of domestic relations cases in the courts render the procedures provided in this part necessary to the full and proper consideration of those cases and the effectuation of the purposes of this part.
  (b) The determination under subdivision (a) shall be made annually in the month of January by:
  (1) The judge of the superior court in counties having only one superior court judge.
  (2) A majority of the judges of the superior court in counties having more than one superior court judge.