Summary dissolution of marriage in California is a proceeding through which some married couples may file a joint petition and obtain a divorce without a court hearing. Many couples that qualify to file a summary dissolution often choose not to use this process because of it disadvantages and new complexities. Both spouses must agree to all of the terms of a summary dissolution, and either party can unilaterally cancel it for any reason before the dissolution is final.
In addition, although summary dissolution used to be known for its “simplified” process,” over the years most courts have have increased the “paper requirements” for these matters. In fact, in many instances, the summary dissolution process can be more complicated than filing for a regular divorce. For these reasons, often individuals elect to file a regular dissolution proceeding.
Answer YES or NO to the following questions to see if you qualify to file a summary dissolution proceeding in California.
If you were able to answer YES to all of the above, you may qualify to file a SUMMARY DISSOLUTION PROCEEDING. You may also want to review the Family Law statutes found in our online Family Law Library.