The short answer
A family law or divorce intake form runs in three parts. A short web form gets the inquiry and asks early whether it is safe to reach the person. A call sheet covers the other spouse, the children and any court papers. Money and detail wait until the client hires you; the builder below has the first two.
Build your family law intake form
The form appears below and changes as you edit it. Nothing you type here leaves this page unless you use the email form under it.
1. Choose your questions
The core questions and six family law extras are on. Open a section to switch questions off.
2. Your form
Email me this
We send your result to your inbox. This is optional, and you do not need it to use the tool.
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Prefer a file?
The family law set is a Word file and a PDF. Both put the short web form on the first page and the call sheet after it, with the 26 core questions switched on. The six extras above are in the builder only.
Other practice areas are on the law firm intake form builder.
What should a divorce or family law intake form ask, and when?
Ask three different things at three different times. A visitor to your website will give a name, a way to reach them and the kind of matter. The first call can cover the other spouse, the children and any court papers. Income, property and the children's detail come after the client signs.
- Web formSeven fields: name, phone, email, whether it is safe to reach them, the kind of matter, a few lines in their own words, and how they found you.
- First callSafe contact again, the other spouse or parent and their attorney, children, existing orders, papers received and the dates that come first.
- After they hire youIncome, property, debts and the children's detail, collected in person or through a secure portal.
The call sheet has 26 core questions and six extras that only fit family law. Switch any of them off. What changes with the kind of matter:
| Kind of matter | What the call adds | Question to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Divorce | Date of marriage and separation, earlier agreements, whether the other spouse has filed | Prenuptial or postnuptial agreement |
| Child custody | Where the children live now, who cares for them, existing orders | Where the children live now |
| Child or spousal support | Existing orders, the court and case number | Existing court orders |
| Protective order | Safe contact first, any order in place, next court date | Is it safe to call, text or email? |
Is it safe to call, text or email this person?
Ask it early: on the web form, and again at the start of the call. In a family matter the other person may share the phone, the email account or the mailbox. The National Domestic Violence Hotline says "Your computer and cell phone use can be monitored without you knowing it."[1]
The web form therefore asks one plain question: is it safe for us to call, text or email you? The call sheet repeats it with four boxes. An extra asks whether anyone else sees the person's phone, email or mail, and where letters can go. The form records the answer; what your firm does with it is a matter for your own policy.
If the call sheet records a safety concern for the person or the children, flag the matter so an attorney sees it that day.
| Box on the call sheet | Checked before sending |
|---|---|
| Safe to call | The number is used for calls only when this is ticked |
| Safe to text | Appointment reminders and text follow-ups go out only when this is ticked |
| Safe to email | Email follow-ups and document links go out only when this is ticked |
| Safe to leave a message | Voicemails say only the firm's name and a call-back number, or nothing |
Who goes on the conflict check in a family law matter?
The other spouse or parent goes first, with their attorney if they have one. California's conflict rules cover one lawyer acting for several people in one matter. The rule's own examples include "the preparation of a pre-nuptial agreement" and an uncontested marital dissolution.[2] So the other spouse's name must be on file before the first meeting.
| Person | Why they matter | Call sheet question |
|---|---|---|
| The other spouse or parent | The opposing party, and sometimes a former client | Full names of the other people involved |
| The other person's attorney | Shows who is already acting for them | Optional: their attorney, if known |
| A new partner | May be involved in a custody or support dispute | Optional: anyone else who may be a party |
| A relative asking for visitation | May ask the court for time with a child | Optional: anyone else who may be a party |
| A past or current client of the firm | May turn out to be the other spouse or a relative | Has anyone in the family been a client of this firm? |
The rule describes the lawyer's position, so your counsel decides how your firm handles couples. The form only makes sure the names are on file.
What should stay off a website intake form?
Leave off the children's names, money, Social Security numbers and anything about what happened at home. A visitor has not hired you yet, and a public form is a poor place for any of it.
California's rule on prospective clients adds another reason. Its aim is to avoid learning things that could stop the firm acting for the other spouse. A lawyer "must limit the initial interview to only such information as" reasonably appears necessary to decide whether to take the matter.[3]
Here is where each kind of detail belongs:
- On the web form: safe contact, kind of matter, a few lines.
- On the first call: children's names and ages, existing orders, papers received.
- After they hire you: income, property, debts, the children's detail.
Put one line on the form saying that sending it does not make the person a client. Your counsel words it, because California says that "Even when no lawyer-client relationship ensues," a lawyer must protect what a prospective client shared.[4]
Which court papers and dates come first?
Ask whether the person has received court papers, and the date, in the first two minutes. Then ask for any hearing date. The answers set the order of your calls, and the form records them without any advice on deadlines. Send this list once the consultation is booked.
Bring to the consultation
- Any court papers received, with the date they arrived
- Existing orders for custody, support or protection, with the case number
- Any prenuptial, postnuptial or other agreement between the couple
- The date of marriage and of separation, if either applies
- The children's names and birth dates, to be given in person
- A safe address or email for letters and documents
Where does each answer go in your CRM?
In family law the safe-contact answer is the field to check first.
| Answer | Where it goes in the CRM | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Safe to call, text or email | Three yes or no fields on the matter | Automated texts and emails check them before sending |
| Other spouse or parent | A related contact, never a lead | Keeps them out of your follow-up and marketing lists |
| Their attorney | A related contact with the role | The conflict check can run on the name |
| Kind of matter | The matter type | Routes the inquiry to the right attorney |
| Hearing date and date papers were served | Date fields with a flag on the matter | Urgent matters get a call first |
| Children | A count on the matter, names kept in the file | Names do not sit in the lead record |
Rishabh spent four years running intake, marketing and systems from inside law firms. Our first step with a new client is a call check: we call the firm, after hours too, and fill in its forms the way a new client would.
We set up Clio Grow, Lawmatics, HubSpot, GoHighLevel and Salesforce, or fix the CRM your firm already owns. Our legal intake software guide compares the main tools, and the law firm CRM guide covers the choice. For more inquiries, see marketing for family law firms and the guide to SEO for family law lawyers.
Other practice areas have their own sets: estate planning and immigration.
Who this form is not for
It is a first-call screen. It does not replace your state's court forms, and it is not for firms whose case software already runs its own intake.
Questions firm owners ask
Does filling in this form make someone a client?
Not by itself. But California treats a person who consults a lawyer about hiring them as a prospective client, and "Even when no lawyer-client relationship ensues," the lawyer must protect what they learned.[4] Have your counsel word the line on your form.
Should the website form ask about abuse?
We keep it off. The web form asks only whether it is safe to reach the person and what kind of matter it is. Questions about safety at home belong on the call, once you know the person can talk.
Can divorce and custody use one form?
Yes. The matter type is a choice on the first screen, and the call sheet asks about children, orders and dates for every family matter. Skip the questions that do not apply.
Is this a legal document?
No. It is a list of questions for your intake team. Naelar is not a law firm and does not give legal advice. Have your ethics counsel review it before you use it.
Try this today
Send your own firm a test inquiry that says it is not safe to text. It takes about ten minutes.
- Fill in your website form on a phone and say that texts are not safe.
- Watch for any automatic text, call or email that still arrives, including reminders and review requests.
- Open your CRM and check that the answer is saved on the matter, where every later step can see it.
More free tools for law firms, and the general law firm intake form builder. Check your text, call and email rules with your ethics counsel.
Sources
- The National Domestic Violence Hotline, "Internet Safety for Survivors." Page undated. thehotline.org. Checked October 29, 2026.
- State Bar of California, Rules of Professional Conduct, rule 1.7 comment [2]. Current rules, 2026. calbar.ca.gov. Checked October 29, 2026.
- State Bar of California, Rules of Professional Conduct, rule 1.18 comment [3]. Current rules, 2026. calbar.ca.gov. Checked October 29, 2026.
- State Bar of California, Rules of Professional Conduct, rule 1.18(b). Current rules, 2026. calbar.ca.gov. Checked October 29, 2026.