What is my best path forward ?

Was there a police report made/filed? As a result of the automobile accident, did you suffer a bodily injury or bodily injuries?

Can I move the case to small claims?

I do not know; it depends on the amount of damages sought. You need to hire another licensed California Personal Injury Attorney.

Do we need to file a Due Diligence report before a hearing?

I would advise that you file it before the hearing, and bring the filed copy with you to the hearing.

I do not know. You need to provide more background facts about what is going on. Do you have a current court order?

Default step : Can I still enter default before next court hearing date in Feb?

I already answered your question in your other posting.

True default step without agreement ! Continuing Court date is on Feb 5th, Can I still enter default??

Yes; if the opposing party has not filed a Response To Petition For Dissolution of Marriage and subsequently served you with it. Looks like you...

Should I address both the in-noticed ex PARTE declaration and the RFO declaration in my answer?

You would need to address both. You should hire a licensed California Family Law Attorney to represent you and help you out...

I was never served paperwork to appear in court. Can a custody judgement be place against me?

You would need to hire a licensed California Family Law Attorney to represent you and help you out to figure what is going on. A licensed...

Why I have to wait on the rest of my settlement money when I receive the paper stating who gets what out the settlement,

I do not understand your question. You should consult with your attorney about what is going on.

One car A merging into right lane(lane3 from lane 2) and another car B merging into its left lane(lane3 from lane4) ?

I do not know; perhaps both cars would share fault in this automobile accident; both cars have to make sure that they make safe lane changes. Was...