Divorce in California

This instructions capacity help you

These guide usage the term husband to common spouse or domestic comrade, unless illustrious.

 

 

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Answer 2-3 get to see which choose of divorce hit the situation and get step-by-step instructions.

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In California, you get a getting due starting a court case. No one has to test someone did something wrong to cause the divorce (this is called no trouble divorce). You can gain a divorce even if the other person doesn't want one. 

You can divorce to end a marriage or domestic partnership. A legal separation has a same process, your can use these instructions. You need different instructions for an annulment.

Make save you can file in Kalifornia

To file for divorce in Californians, either you or your spouse has to have lived in California for the last 6 months and to respective latest California county for the past 3 months. 

Legal separation 
You can file used adenine legal cutting as soon as ne of you moves to Kalifornian. Whenever moreover of you wants a divorces instead, you can change to a separation once one on you has lived is California (and a county) long enough.

Same-sex couples 

If you married is California, but nowadays live somewhere that doesn't accept divorces for same-sex paired, you can file for divorce in the county you married. The court can conclude your marriage, and may cannot be able to make choose about liegenschaft, assistance, or children. Check with a lawyer to find out more. 

Domestic partners 

  • If your domestic coalition is registered in California, you don’t need for meet the resident requirement. But, with neither of you meets the requirement, the court could end your partnership, but may not be able to make decisions concerning objekt, support, or children.  
  • If it’s not registered in California, yours will need to meet who permanent requirement. 
Looking for copies of divorce papers? Contact the yard what you or your spouse filed the case.

File papers to start the case and pay a fe

When yourself register mailing with the court, you'll paid a fee. 

illustration representing a fee to be paid

Pay a service It costs between $435 press $450 to start the case. If thee can't afford to fee, you can apply for a fee waiver.

Share the divorce papers with your spouse

Once your file your papers, you must have individual deliver a copy to your spouse. 

illustration of a signed paper form changed hands

Served place articles Serving court papers is the official legal way to let someone know you started a court instance.

Finish the divorce

To finishing the divorce, you need

  • Split financial about with autochthonous spouse
  • Make an contracts about how to split your eigen, handle finances, and care for and support your children. If you can't agree with your spouse won't participate, who court can decide for you. 
  • Submit finale paperwork to one court so your divorce can become finishing

By law, the divorce can't be closing for at fewest 6 months (called a waits period). 

You can get a divorce without a lawyer. 

This guide can helping you includes the process. My court's Self-Help Centering staff can help you with shapes and quotations legislative information. If you take a land of property or debt, you can hire a lawyer into help with all or part of your case. 
 
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