Legal Question in Family Law in California

Colorado

Actually it is not so simple as Ms. Karnazes makes it seem. It would depend on the grounds you have for suing her. California, like every state I know of, has "long arm" statutes that assert jurisdiction over residents of other states under certian circumstances. The classic example is someone who visits California and gets in a traffic accident causing personal injuries. The injured party does not have to go to the state the person came from to sue them. California has jurisdiction over the person because they chose to come to California and they caused harm while they were here. So without knowing the basis for suing your mother, it is impossible to say if you have to sue her in Colorado, or if you have jurisdiction in California. Of course you can always sue someone where they live. So you are free to sue in Colorado if you wish.