California
What Is Minor's Counsel in a California Custody Case, and What Happens During the Interview?
Quick answer
When a California judge appoints Minor's Counsel, the court has given your child their own attorney whose job is to represent the child's best interests. Here is what that role involves and what usually happens during the interviews.
Last updated June 2026
What Minor's Counsel actually is
Minor's Counsel is a licensed attorney the court appoints to represent your child directly, separate from either parent's lawyer. Their client is the child, not you and not the other parent. In California they are appointed when the judge feels a case needs an independent voice focused only on what is best for the kid.
Their job is to gather information, form an impression of the child's situation and wishes, and report to the court. They can review records, talk to teachers or therapists, and interview each parent. They are not there to referee who is the better parent in the abstract, they are there to figure out what actually serves your child.
How the interviews usually go
The interview with each parent is a conversation, not a cross-examination. Expect questions about your child's routine, school, health, activities, the parenting schedule, and how the two households communicate. Being organized helps. Know your child's doctor, teachers, friends, and daily schedule, because a parent who knows those details reads as engaged.
The interview with the child is done in a way meant to feel safe and low pressure, often away from both parents. Younger kids may just talk or play, older kids like a 12 year old are usually asked more directly about their life and, sometimes, their preferences. Do not coach or script your child. Minor's Counsel is experienced at spotting a rehearsed kid, and it tends to backfire badly.
Does honesty help or hurt
This is the part that worries most parents, especially with parenting class homework or Our Family Wizard entries that everyone can see. Answering honestly, including checking 'sometimes' instead of pretending to be perfect, generally reads as self awareness, not as an admission of failure. Courts and the professionals in these cases are not looking for a flawless parent, they are looking for an honest one who can reflect and improve.
A parent who answers 'never' to everything often looks less credible, not more, because no real parent is perfect. What Minor's Counsel weighs is the whole picture over time, not one checkbox. Keep your written answers factual and consistent, avoid trashing the other parent in the homework, and keep the focus on your child.
How to prepare
Keep a simple, factual record of your parenting time, your child's needs, and any concerns, so you can speak from specifics instead of generalities. If your current schedule is confusing, mapping it out clearly can help you explain it and can help you propose something workable.
Show up on time, be respectful, and answer what is asked without going on the attack. The parents who come across best are the ones who can talk about their child's needs first and their conflict with the other parent second.
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This page is general legal information, not legal advice, and does not create an attorney–client relationship. Laws and local rules vary and change. For advice about your situation, consult a licensed family-law attorney in your state.