Get court-approved California divorce papers for filing an uncontested divorce without a lawyer's fees.
A do-it-yourself divorce is not just the easiest way to get a divorce in CA but also the most convenient one due to several reasons:
To start your California online divorce, you need the right set of forms and instructions first, which you can get in just 3 easy steps:
We will provide you with detailed instructions on filing for divorce without a lawyer together with a set of divorce forms.
ONLINE DIVORCE WITH NO CHILDREN
Get complete divorce packet ready for court in a few clicks. Step-by-step filing instructions are included.
$173
+ Court Fees
ONLINE DIVORCE WITH CHILDREN
Download filled-out forms for cases with children. You will also get a guide on filing for divorce online.
$173
+ Court Fees
INSTALLMENT PLAN
Split your bill into partial payments. Flexible terms & no extra fees.
Negotiable Price
+ Court Fees
Finding divorce documents in CA might be a struggle, especially if you are not 100% sure which ones are used in specific cases. Fortunately, you do not have to surf the Internet looking for blank divorce papers in pdf format. Our team has already collected the necessary ones for the most common cases. Therefore, once you make sure you qualify for a no-fault and full-agreement dissolution of marriage in California, you can order the required forms from us for only $173. After that, download divorce papers for free or get them shipped to your address for a small fee.
Here is the list of some of the do-it-yourself divorce papers you may need:
Note that a divorce petition in CA can be of a few types. If you and your spouse have been married for less than 5 years, have no children and barely any assets or debts, you might qualify for getting a summary dissolution. In this case, you will be required to file a joint petition for divorce in California along with a few other documents. However, it is crucial that you familiarize yourself with the process before you initiate it to avoid potential difficulties.
1
Answer Relevant Questions
2
Download Your Completed Forms
3
File The Documents
To apply for divorce in California:
Please note that there are specific rules for the service of process in different states. How to serve divorce papers in California? Get a person over 18 to:
Note that you will have to provide your spouse with a few additional papers to sign so that you can later file a confirmation with a court stating that your ex was notified about the marriage dissolution. A person helping you with the service will also have to fill out and submit proof that they have delivered the paperwork to your spouse.
Additionally, you and your ex will have to exchange financial documents within no more than 2 months after the divorce process starts. Although none of these may require court submission, it would still be necessary to provide a court clerk with proof that the disclosure of financial information has been completed.
As you can see, filing for divorce in California is an elaborate process, which you, however, will easily navigate with a guide we will send you for free if you decide to get online help with your paperwork. You will receive detailed filing instructions that will guide you through the divorce process, ensuring that you successfully initiate and finish your marriage dissolution.
Overall, when filling out divorce forms, you will need to indicate:
When filling out divorce papers in California, it is crucial to indicate accurate and up-to-date information about every person involved. Therefore, it is best to complete or update your paperwork right before you file it.
Getting a divorce in California without a lawyer might feel like a risk. However, thousands of spouses do it every year, either by using online services or going fully DIY and getting no outside help. The main requirement for a do-it-yourself divorce in CA is to reach a full agreement on childcare and finance-related issues, among other matters. If you and your spouse are on the same page when it comes to these divorce aspects, you are free to start a marriage dissolution process.
Before you initiate it, however, it is essential to understand the steps to getting a divorce in California and the potential pitfalls you may encounter. Although the process is simplified when it is amicable, it might not be as easy as you expected if you deal with the paperwork on your own. Let’s review the CA divorce process step by step:
Otherwise, it would not be possible for any of you to file in CA, as the state would have no jurisdiction over your case.
While there are divorce documents available on different websites, determining if they are admissible in court will take time and a lot of research. Additionally, there is no guarantee you will get it right from the first try.
Not all the documents that look mandatory are such, and vice versa. The use of certain forms is circumstantial and depends not only on your family situation but also method of service and plenty of other factors.
Legal terminology is researchable, but it does not always make it easier to understand what is asked of you in the divorce forms. While you might take the risk and answer questions as you believe is right, a court clerk might not appreciate this attempt and will refuse to accept your documents if there are mistakes in them.
There are more than 50 potential forms and attachments to them that might be necessary to file. As everything is case-specific, you might discover you require additional paperwork to be added to your package, which is going to delay the filing process significantly.
Once you complete the paperwork, it is important to sign it. However, it might be necessary to do so in the presence of a notary public. Make sure you do not sign anything before you check if notarization is required, as otherwise, you will have to fill out the forms again.
As it is unlikely that you work with divorce documents on a daily basis, it may take you quite some time to understand what forms suit your case and how to answer questions in them properly. Moreover, in California DIY divorce process, even the tiniest mistake might mean that your paperwork will not be accepted by the court, and you will have to deal with legal forms all over again. It puts a lot of stress on you to do everything correctly on the first try.
If you feel overwhelmed and confused or would simply prefer someone to deal with the paperwork for you, our service is here to help. You only have to complete a quick questionnaire to get a full package of filled-out divorce documents chosen specifically to suit your case. Besides, it will only cost you $173, and you will receive your papers in just a few days, along with the free instructions on how to file them with a court.
Most states have specific residency requirements, and California is not an exception. To file in CA, you or your ex should live in:
If you have recently moved to another county and do not yet meet residency requirements there, you may file for divorce in the one where you have previously lived.
In the best-case scenario, you will be granted a marriage dissolution 6 months after you initiate it. It is the bare minimum in California, and the timeline might increase as it is affected by court schedules and caseload, potential complications in your case, and other factors that are prone to change.
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Yes. As long as you plan on filing for an uncontested divorce, you can represent yourself in court instead of hiring a lawyer to do it. If you and your ex are in full agreement on the way your assets will be distributed, childcare will be determined, and other aspects of your post-divorce life will be arranged, a judge will likely approve your agreement as long as it’s fair.
To file for uncontested divorce in CA, take the following steps:
You should find your county’s court clerk’s office on the California Court website and visit it to file your documents there.
These are some of the forms required for a divorce case:
Note that you might need more/other forms depending on your case and the county where you file.
The cost of the divorce process in CA depends on several factors. You will definitely have to pay a filing fee, which is $435, and court fees, which will vary depending on your county. If you hire a lawyer, you may have to pay around $3,000-$10,000 for their services. Alternatively, you can order your paperwork online for a significantly lower price.
From start to finish, the California divorce process will take at least 6 months. The more complex your case is, the longer it will take to finalize it. In any situation, a divorce won’t be final until a 6-month mandatory waiting period is over.
There are mandatory residency requirements to file for divorce in California. Either you or your spouse must have lived in CA for the last 6 months and in a specific county for at least 3 months.