G.L. v. X.L. CA3

California Court of Appeal·Decided November 13, 2025·No. C099930M·Unpublished

Opinion

Filed 11/13/25 G.L. v. X.L. CA3 NOT TO BE PUBLISHED California Rules of Court, rule 8.1115(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions not certified for publication or ordered published, except as specified by rule 8.1115(b). This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115.

IN THE COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

THIRD APPELLATE DISTRICT

(San Joaquin) ----

G.L., C099930 C100470 Plaintiff and Appellant, (Super. Ct. No. STA-FL- v. CUSJ-2019-0002248)

X.L., San Joaquin County

Defendant and Respondent.

G.L., C100782

Plaintiff and Appellant, (Super. Ct. No. 19FL02121)

v. Sacramento County

X.L., ORDER MODIFYING OPINION AND DENYING Defendant and Respondent. REHEARING [NO CHANGE IN JUDGMENT]

1 THE COURT: It is ordered that the opinion filed herein on October 27, 2025, be modified as follows:

The second paragraph under the heading FACTS AND HISTORY OF THE PROCEEDINGS is modified to read as follows: Mother appealed the juvenile court’s decision. She filed her notice of appeal from the March 20, 2019, minute order on March 28, 2019, nearly one month before the San Joaquin court filed its exit order. However, she later augmented the appellate record to include the exit order filed on April 25, 2019, and through her attorney stated that her appeal “should be construed as being taken from the subsequent April 25, 2019, custody judgment.” As mentioned, this court affirmed the judgment in 2020. (In re J.L., supra.)

On page 14 of the opinion, prior to the paragraph that begins, “San Joaquin County’s exercise of custody jurisdiction,” we add the following paragraphs: Mother contends we cannot rely on the April 25, 2019, exit order because its validity was not adjudicated in her first appeal, and the order is void because it was not listed in the juvenile court’s register of actions. Both arguments are incorrect. Mother argues her notice of appeal in In re J.L. stated the appeal was taken only from the San Joaquin County court’s minute order of March 20, 2019, and thus the April 25 exit order was not before us in that matter. However, it was mother who while that appeal was pending directed us to construe her appeal as being taken from the April 25 exit order. We did so, and we adjudicated and affirmed the order’s validity. Res judicata now bars mother’s attempts to attack the exit order except to the extent the order is void. (OC Interior Services, LLC v. Nationstar Mortgage,

2 LLC (2017) 7 Cal.App.5th 1318, 1327.) Mother asserts the exit order is void because it is not listed in the juvenile court’s register of actions. A judgment is not effective for any purpose until it is entered. (Code Civ. Proc., § 664.) But “[a]ll that is required for the entry of judgment is the act of filing the judgment with the clerk.” (People v. Financial Casualty & Surety, Inc. (2021) 64 Cal.App.5th 405, 413; Code Civ. Proc., § 668.5.) The record indicates the exit order was filed in the superior court on April 25, 2019. Thus, the judgment was entered on that date, and it has been effective ever since.

We further modify the opinion by adding the following paragraphs before the first paragraph on page 23 starting as “Because mother did not file an appeal from the May 10 order. . .”:

In a petition for rehearing, mother contends for the first time that the May 10 order is void and subject to collateral attack. She asserts the order is void because the Sacramento court and father did not comply with the statutory requirements for terminating the DVRO. Mother’s argument is incorrect. When a court lacks jurisdiction in its most fundamental sense, i.e., an absence of authority over the subject matter or parties, an ensuing judgment is void and vulnerable to collateral attack at any time. (People v. American Contractors Indemnity Co. (2004) 33 Cal.4th 653, 661.) By contrast, when a court that has fundamental jurisdiction acts contrary to a proscribed procedure, it exceeds its jurisdiction, but its act or judgment in that circumstance is merely voidable. (Ibid.) The judgment is valid until it is set aside, and a party may be precluded from setting it aside due to res judicata. (Ibid.) Mother’s contentions allege the trial court acted in excess of its jurisdiction, not in the absence of fundamental jurisdiction over the subject matter or the

3 parties. Thus, the May 10 order was potentially voidable, but it is not void for lack of fundamental jurisdiction. Errors made merely in excess of jurisdiction should be challenged directly, and they are not subject to a collateral attack such as mother raises here “unless ‘unusual circumstances were present which prevented an earlier and more appropriate attack.’ ” (People v. American Contractors Indemnity Co., supra, 33 Cal.4th at p. 661.) Mother has not alleged or presented any evidence showing unusual circumstances prevented her from appealing the May 10 order.

This order does not change the appellate judgment. The petition for rehearing is denied. The request for judicial notice and the request for a stay are denied as moot.

BY THE COURT:

___________________________ HULL, Acting P. J.

___________________________ ROBIE, J.

____________________________ BOULWARE EURIE, J.

4 Filed 10/27/25 G.L. v. X.L. CA3 (unmodified opinion) NOT TO BE PUBLISHED California Rules of Court, rule 8.1115(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions not certified for publication or ordered published, except as specified by rule 8.1115(b). This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115.

G.L., C099930 C100470 Plaintiff and Appellant, (Super. Ct. No. STA-FL- v. CUSJ-2019-0002248)

X.L.,

In pro. per. plaintiff and appellant G.L. (mother) and defendant and respondent X.L. (father) are the unmarried parents of J.L. (minor). In a prior appeal, a panel of this court affirmed an order issued in a dependency case in 2019 by the San Joaquin County

1 Superior Court (San Joaquin County or the San Joaquin court) awarding custody of minor to father. (In re J.L. (Feb. 3, 2020, C089168) [nonpub. opn.], review den. Apr. 15, 2020, S261181.) Since then, father has had sole legal and physical custody of minor. The consolidated appeals before us arise from mother’s unsuccessful attempts in two different superior courts, San Joaquin County and the Sacramento County Superior Court (Sacramento County or the Sacramento court), to gain custody of minor. Appealing from a number of orders, mother contends: (1) San Joaquin County terminated its dependency jurisdiction over the minor’s custody in 2019 before it filed its written order, and before the San Joaquin court’s family court could assert jurisdiction, Sacramento County exercised emergency jurisdiction over custody, granted custody to mother, and gained exclusive custody jurisdiction. (2) San Joaquin County exercised only emergency jurisdiction over the minor’s custody which later lapsed. (3) An ex parte Sacramento County order in 2019 that vacated an earlier order by that court granting custody to mother did not permanently vacate the custody order, and the Sacramento court erred by relying on the ex parte order to deny subsequent motions by mother in 2024 requesting it determine custody of minor. (4) Mother was denied due process in 2023 when she did not receive father’s responsive pleading to a motion to modify custody and change venue. (5) Two San Joaquin County judges who ruled on mother’s motions in 2023 and 2024 did not disclose conflicts of interest; and (6) Both superior courts violated duties under Family Code section 3429 to collect and assess information regarding minor’s custody history.

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