You may be surprised how many people come to A People’s Choice for legal document assistance shocked by the complexity of California divorce forms. While divorce without a lawyer in California is possible, completing and filing the legal paperwork on your own is no easy feat. In fact, without a legal education or background, it can be difficult to understand how to correctly fill out divorce papers.

If you are involved in a DIY divorce and need help completing the paperwork, contact A People’s Choice! We are here to help you accurately complete your documents and file them with the court in a timely manner. However, in the meantime, continue reading for explanations of some of the most important forms in California divorce.

What our Clients Say...
“I can’t remember how I found A People’s Choice, but am completely satisfied with the service provided. The person I worked with was very friendly whenever we spoke on the phone and always responded promptly to any emails. The entire process was smooth and painless. Would recommend A People’s Choice without hesitation.”
Les A.
“So glad I found this company to handle my divorce. They were very professional and detail oriented, answering all of my (many) questions and kept me informed. They handled everything for me from hundreds of miles away and made it pretty seamless. The pricing was in the exact range we were looking for. Very honest company and great to work with!”
Jessica J.
“I needed help understanding and filling out legal documents, but I didn’t have enough money to pay for an attorney. The staff at A People’s Choice was very professional and helpful. They took care of all of the paperwork and filings and kept me posted. I would highly recommend them. You will get outstanding service at an affordable price. “
Sharon B.
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Linda F.
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M. McCleod
“Want to personally thank the staff at A People’s Choice for making my divorce process so simple and painless. From my 1st contact in the office, they were was warm and friendly and took the time to explain each step in a very simple and quick manner. Filing for a divorce can be a difficult and painful process and the staff was extremely professional and clear in all guidance and explanations. I highly recommend A People’s Choice.”
C. Hannon
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M. Rice
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Eric J.
“Lightning fast response, I had my very simple document on the same day as my order for the very fair and reasonable price of $325 (including the rush fee!) compared to my attorney who quoted me 3 weeks and $2500. I will definitely use these folks again and highly recommend them!”
L. Carnes
“A People’s Choice is a business that delivers what they promise. I was treated like a VIP by their staff. As for their services, they promptly delivered all of the official documents and fillings on my behalf and their price is more than reasonable. In short, this is a business that I will always recommend and continue to use. Thank you!”
Juan B.
“I thought I could save money and file my own divorce paperwork. The court clerks offer no assistance whatsoever! The best advice I can give is to call A People’s Choice first. They typed up my paperwork and my divorce was final in two weeks! Would highly recommend them to everyone.”
L. Bayer
“I had contacted a lawyer and he wanted to charge me $1800.00. Then I found A People’s Choice. They got my paperwork started and at a much lower cost, and steered me, with the help of lots of paperwork, in the right direction. I am grateful for the company’s services and would recommend them to anyone that may need the services they offer.”
April R.
“Divorce is usually never pleasant but A People’s Choice made it much easier than it would have been if we tried to do the divorce paperwork on our own. They were very quick to respond to us and always took the time to answer all of our questions thoroughly, in addition to quickly. I would highly recommend them for handling divorce paperwork.”
Susan Z.
“A People’s Choice prepares legal documents so you can represent yourself and still look like you know what you’re doing. I utilized their services recently and found them to be professional as well as extremely helpful. I couldn’t be happier.”
Evan J.
“I’ve worked with A People’s Choice since September 2013.  They are very knowledgeable and experienced.  Their work is done professionally and timely.  They show a real concern for my situation.  I recommend you give them the opportunity to be of service to you.”
D. Echeverra
“This company is excellent! They helped me get through all of my paperwork, submitted it to the court, and now everything is complete. Everything was clear and almost too easy. I saved thousands of dollars!”
Seth M.
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Radtech N.
“Just recently moved to the Ventura area and didn’t know of any companies to help me with my legal paperwork. I am glad I chose A People’s Choice. They were very friendly and helped me with my documents in a very efficient way in very little time. Give them a try and you will be writing a positive review just as I did.”
D. Buelna
“A People’s Choice helped me with my QDRO. They were very professional and very honest. They saved me a lot of money by having them do all the paperwork. There was no hidden fees. I would recommend A People’s Choice for any of your needs. They are very knowledgeable in what they do. Thank you A People’s Choice for all your help!”
Debra H.
“The service provided by A People’s Choice was very professional and comprehensive. We have used A People’s Choice on a previous occasion and were completely satisfied. We would highly recommend A People’s Choice to anyone!“
R. Betancourt
“Extremely satisfied with the performance of A People’s Choice. The communication was excellent and all was handled in a timely efficient manner. “
Pam T.
“I would just like to comment on what a great job A People’s Choice did with my divorce. I could not be happier. They let me know how they keep the cost down by communicating through email. I also appreciated how when I had a question they got back with me in the day or in the evening. APeoples Choice is a good deal for the consumer.”
R. Leyva
“I used A People’s Choice for filing divorce paperwork for an uncontested divorce. The price was very affordable and fair. Excellent service throughout. Not being able to call and talk on the phone worried me at first but they responded to every email extremely quickly. Directions were very easy to understand. Will definitely use them again if I need.
Frank M.
“I was very happy with the service received. They were extremely responsive by phone and email and completed the document in less than 24 hours! All questions were answered promptly. I would highly recommend this service to anyone needing a legal document prepared!”
M.D.
“Very professional, excellent follow up and easy to work with. I will recommend them often! The staff rocks!”
Gene A.
“Overwhelmed with my divorce, custody and child support paperwork, A Peoples Choice made everything so much easier and really put my mind at ease. I couldn’t be happier with their assistance and it really made all the process speed up for me. Thank you so much for all your help.”
Samantha R.

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…or continue reading the article below to learn more about California divorce forms.

FOR THE PETITIONER: REQUIRED FORMS TO START YOUR DIVORCE

If you search the California Courts’ Self-Help website, you will be inundated with an extensive list of legal documents relevant to divorce. However, keep in mind that you may not require all of these documents in your proceedings. As a result, it’s important to understand the purpose of every form. Plus, you should have a solid understanding of your situation and the steps you must take toward dissolution.

That said, there are some common forms that most – if not all – divorcees in California will require. For example, a petitioner initiating the dissolution of a marriage will need to complete the following documents:

FL-100 Petition for Dissolution of a Marriage or Domestic Partnership

If you are the petitioning spouse, Form FL-100 is the first legal document you will complete during your divorce. This form provides the court pertinent information to your marriage or domestic partnership. Additionally, it identifies what type of termination you are seeking (dissolution or divorce, nullification, or legal separation). Generally speaking, FL-100 gives the court a broad understanding of your circumstances, including:

  • residency;
  • length of marriage or partnership;
  • children, including custody preferences and support;
  • spousal support; and
  • separate and community property.

FL-110 Summons

Along with FL-100, you must submit Form FL-110 Summons upon filing for divorce. This is the same form that will be served on your spouse to alert them of the divorce. This form is much simpler than FL-100 as it only requires your spouse’s name, court information, and your or your attorney’s contacts.

Miscellaneous Forms Due Upon Initial Filing and Service

In addition to FL-100 and FL-110, the remaining forms required to initiate your divorce depend on your personal circumstances. For example, if you and your spouse share minor children, you must complete Form FL-105 Declaration Under Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (UCCJEA). Further, the court provides additional optional forms to provide more information to your spouse if you so choose.

If you are the respondent in your divorce case, the petitioner has already served you with forms FL-100 and FL-110. Plus, perhaps you have received FL-105 and other miscellaneous documents. Additionally, the court will add to your papers Form FL-120 Response to Petition for Dissolution. This is the first form you will complete if you choose to respond to the petition.

FL-120 Response to Initial Petition for Dissolution

Form FL-120 is nearly identical to the FL-100 Petition. Ultimately, this form provides the court with critical information about the marriage or partnership from your perspective. For instance, a spouse may choose to file a response to a petition with an inaccurate list of community property. Correcting this error and bringing the matter to the court’s attention will be imperative in accurately dividing property upon finalizing the divorce. Finally, like the petitioner, you may also complete additional forms such as Form FL-105 depending on your personal circumstances.

Either before or within 60 days of serving the respondent, the petitioner must complete preliminary disclosures. Then, they must also serve these documents on the respondent in addition to the petition. Further, if the respondent chooses to file a response, they must also complete preliminary disclosures to serve on the petitioner within 60 days of filing a response.

While most preliminary disclosure forms will not be filed with the court, they play an important role in the division of property during California divorce. For example, many individuals in California fail to understand the definition of “community property“. This term is incredibly important as California is a community property state. In other words, community property is divided evenly between divorcing spouses. Thus, the preliminary disclosures help both parties understand the property at stake.

Preliminary disclosures include the following forms:

FL-140 Declaration of Disclosure

Form FL-140 is a cover sheet listing all of the attached documents within the preliminary disclosures. For example, in addition to the required legal documents, petitioners and respondents must include:

  • all tax returns filed in the past two years;
  • a statement regarding valuation of all community property;
  • a statement regarding obligations for which the community is liable;
  • an accurate and complete written disclosure of any investment opportunity, business opportunity, or other income-producing opportunity presented since the date of separation; and
  • two pay stub copies.

Note that this is not an exhaustive list of attachments for preliminary disclosures.

FL-150 Income and Expense 

The next part of the preliminary disclosures, Form FL-150, requires the following income and expense information:

  • employment;
  • income from all employment;
  • age and education;
  • tax information;
  • estimation of other party’s income;
  • investment income;
  • change of income;
  • deductions;
  • assets;
  • individuals living in the home;
  • average monthly expenses;
  • debts;
  • attorneys fees; and
  • child support information including number of children, healthcare costs, and special hardships.

FL-142 Schedule of Assets and Debts OR FL-160 Property Declaration

In Form FL-142, the petitioner and/or respondent must list ALL of their assets. This includes community and separate property. Additionally, it includes real and personal property as well as cash assets, debt, and bank accounts. Alternatively, parties may choose to use Form FL-160 to list their property. Both forms ultimately provide the same information.

FL-141 Declaration Regarding Service of Declaration of Disclosure

Finally, Form FL-141 tells the court you served your preliminary disclosure as required. Note that this is the ONLY part of the preliminary disclosure that you file with the court.

Unfortunately, this is where the consistency in California divorce forms ends. The forms required to complete your California divorce will depend entirely on the situation at hand. For example, if the respondent does NOT file a response and the parties reach an agreement, they may require a Request to Enter Default Form FL-165. On the other hand, if the respondent does not file a response and the parties do not have an agreement, the petitioner can use Form FL-170 Declaration for Default or Uncontested Dissolution or Legal Separation. Finally, if the respondent files a response and the parties do NOT reach an agreement, the parties must go to trial for the court to hear the case. However, the required forms for finalizing a divorce will vary and will include more than one document.

Get Help With Your California Divorce Forms

Clearly, completing and filing the required forms for a California divorce is no simple feat. Collecting all relevant information, listing it completely and accurately, and serving or filing the paperwork within the allotted time is incredibly stressful. Plus, the documents only increase in complication if the divorce becomes contentious.

While the California Courts’ Self-Help resources are beneficial for DIY divorcees, they don’t always provide the support needed. For example, Self-Help Centers are not always open to assist you. Therefore, if you are completing your divorce paperwork without an attorney, consider hiring a legal document assistant such as A People’s Choice. We are not attorneys and cannot provide legal advice; however, we do provide one-on-one personalized assistance with completing and filing California legal forms.

A People’s Choice has over 40 years’ experience helping clients with their California divorce paperwork. Plus, we offer low-cost, flat-fee services tailored to your exact needs. But don’t take our word for it! Check out what our past clients have to say. Then, when you’re ready to get started, give us a call at 1-800-747-2780 to learn more about how we can help.

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