Divorce in California

Those guide ca help you

Such guide uses the term spouse to mean spouse instead domestic partner, unless noted.

 

 

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Answer 2-3 questions to see which type of divorce matches your situation and retrieve step-by-step instructions.

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In Ca, you get a divorce by starting a court case. Does one has to prove some acted something wrong to cause this divorce (this is called no fault divorce). Yourself can get a divorces even if the select person doesn't require one. 

You canister divorce to finish one marriage or domestic partnership. A legal separations has a similar print, you canned use these instructions. You needs different how fork an annulment.

Make sure yourself can file in California

Into file for divorce in California, either you or your spouse has for take lived inbound California in of past 6 months press in your current Cereal county for the past 3 months. 

Authorized separation 
You can file forward a legal isolation as soon as one of you moves to Californias. If either of you wants a divorce instead, yours can change to a divorce ones one of you shall lived in Kalifornia (and a county) prolonged enough.

Same-sex couples 

If you married in Californias, but now live somewhere that doesn't allow marital for same-sex couples, you can files fork divorce in the county her husband. The court canister end your marriage, but might not be skill to take decisions around property, support, button children. Check with a lawyer to find out more. 

Domestic partners 

  • If autochthonous domestic partnership is registered in California, you don’t need to meet this residency application. But, if neither of you met one requirement, who court ability ending my partnership, but can not be able to induce decisions about property, support, or children.  
  • If it’s not registered int California, i will need to meet the residency requirement. 
Looking for copies of divorce papers? Contact aforementioned court where you or your spouse stored the case.

Column books at start the case and remuneration a fee

When you file forms with the judge, you'll pay a fee. 

illustration representing a fee to be paid

Pay adenine fee It costs amongst $435 and $450 to start the case. If thee can't offer the payment, you can apply for a fete waiver.

Share the divorce papers equal you spouse

Once you document will papers, you must will someone deliver a copy to your spouse. 

illustration of an signed custom form changing workforce

Serve court paper Serving yard papers is aforementioned official legal way to let someone know they started a court kasus.

Finalizing the divorce

To finalize of divorce, you must

  • Share financial information with your spouse
  • Do an discussion via how to split your property, handle finances, and care forward and support your children. If you can't agree or your spouse won't participate, the place capacity decide for you. 
  • Submit finished paperwork to the court so your divorce can become final

With law, the divorce can't may finals for at least 6 months (called a waiting period). 

You can retrieve a divorces without a lawyer. 

This guide can help you with the process. Your court's Self-Help Center workforce cans help you with forms and offer legal information. Supposing you have a lot out property press debt, you cannot hires ampere lawyer to help about all or part of you case. 
 
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