FL-165 asks the court clerk to enter the default of a respondent who has failed to respond to the petition. It is used in family law and uniform parentage cases, and it lists Code of Civil Procedure sections 585 and 587 and Family Code sections 2330.5 and 2335.5.
When it is used
Financial papers, mailing and costs
The form asks whether an income and expense declaration and a property declaration are attached, how a copy reaches the respondent, what costs are claimed, and why the respondent is not in military service.
Section by section
What each part asks
Use the current official form and its instructions. The descriptions below identify the questions without choosing answers for your situation.
Page 1 · Request and declaration
1 · To the clerk
The request to enter the default of the respondent.
2 · Financial declaration
Whether a completed FL-150 or FL-155 is attached.
3 · Property declaration
Whether a completed FL-160 is attached and, if not, at least one of six listed reasons.
4 · Mailing declaration
No mailing because service was by publication or posting and the address is unknown, or a copy and a stamped, addressed envelope given to the clerk.
Court-use area
The clerk records the mailing date and whether the default was entered.
Page 2 · Costs and military status
5 · Memorandum of costs
Costs waived, or clerk’s fees, process server’s fees and other costs listed with a total.
6 · Nonmilitary status
Why the declarant knows the respondent is not in U.S. military service, such as search results from scra.dmdc.osd.mil. The form says this declaration is required for a judgment.
Before you file
Common filing problems to check
These checks come from the official form and instructions. They are not a ranking of rejection reasons; the court decides whether a filing meets its requirements.
Item 3 has no FL-160 attached and no reason box checked; the form says to check at least one.
Item 4b’s copy and envelope with sufficient postage, addressed to the respondent’s attorney or last known address, are not given to the clerk.
The nonmilitary declaration in item 6 is blank or unsigned.
A signature or date is missing from items 3, 4, 5 or 6, each of which has its own.
E-file it
How to e-file FL-165 with Legal Hub Group
Legal Hub Group is a certified e-filing service provider for California courts. Availability depends on the live court, case type, document type and whether the case is new or existing.
1
Confirm the court
Check the current court and case-type list. A court must support the particular filing; this guide does not make every form available in every county.
2
Upload and check
Upload the finished papers and their attachments. Lexary checks them for common filing problems. Review the documents and the results before continuing.
3
Review the filing and fees
Confirm the case, document types and payment choice. Review every fee shown before submitting.
4
Submit and track the answer
The court reviews the filing. Keep the court’s acceptance and returned copy, or read its rejection notice before deciding what to do next.
$14.99 Legal Hub Group fee per e-filing, plus applicable court and court-system fees. Each fee is shown before submitting.
E-service is included free where available. No subscription. E-filing and service of opening papers are separate requirements.
No. It asks the clerk to enter the respondent’s default. Item 6 describes its nonmilitary declaration as required for a judgment, which is a separate step.
What if the respondent may be in the military?
The form’s note says a respondent who is in the military, or whose status is unknown, has certain protections before a default judgment can be entered. It points to selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/military-defaults.
Do I always mail a copy?
Item 4 says no mailing is required when service was by publication or posting and the respondent’s address remains unknown. Otherwise the form describes giving the clerk a copy and a stamped, addressed envelope.
Not legal advice. This page explains public filing information. It does not tell you what to put in your own case. Legal Hub Group is a certified e-filing service provider for California courts, not a law firm.
Information checked as of October 2026. Rules, form revisions and provider prices can change. The court decides whether to accept a filing.
