To file divorce in Sacramento County, you or your spouse must have lived in California for the past 6 months. Furthermore, you or your spouse must have lived in Sacramento County for the past 3 months. Satisfying residency requirements is the first step in filing divorce in Sacramento County because the court will not enter a divorce judgment if either party has not satisfied California divorce residency requirements.
Get help to File Divorce in Sacramento County!
Many couples file for legal separation while they consider whether or not they want to divorce so they have a precise date of separation on record. Filling for legal separation allows you to establish the date of separation. If you need time to satisfy residency requirements, this could be a good option for you. You can amend the petition to file for divorce once you have met the residency requirements. A People’s Choice can help you navigate filling out and filing the many documents.
How to Begin the Divorce Process
To begin a divorce proceeding in Sacramento County, you must complete multiple documents:
- A Petition- Marriage/ Domestic Partnership form (FL-100)
- A Declaration Under Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (FL-105)
If you and your spouse have minor children, this form provides personal information about your current custody situation. - A Summons (FL-110)
This form details mandatory restraining orders dictated to both parties. - A Family Law Case Participant Enrollment Form (FL/E-LP-665)
This form allows a party to access some Findings and Orders After Hearing for law and motion hearings, and mediation reports prepared by Family Court Services.
If you cannot afford professional help, you may try contacting the Family Law Facilitator’s Office located at the courthouse if you need assistance in completing the divorce forms. The Family Law Facilitator’s office offers guidance with starting a case, completing forms, responding to court forms and calculating child or spousal support. Keep in mind, however, although the Family Law Facilitator’s office provides guidance, they do not prepare documents. Also, help is on a first come, first serve basis. Be sure to bring your photo ID. You can also contact A People’s Choice if you want a professional, low-cost option for help with your divorce documents. Not only do we prepare all the necessary divorce documents, we also manage the case to make sure you get a final Judgment as fast as possible.
File Divorce in Sacramento County
Once you complete your initial forms, you must file them with the local court. Enter your zip code on the court’s website to see which location you should file your documents. In Sacramento County, there is one location that handles law family cases, the William R. Ridgeway Family Relations Court located at 3341 Power Inn Road.
You can file by mail, in person, or at the drop box located at the courthouse. There is a $435 filing fee, but you may receive a waiver under certain financial conditions. After filing the forms, serve your spouse. Anyone over the age of 18 who is not a party to the case may serve your spouse. After you serve your spouse, you must file a Proof of Service (FL- 115). Your spouse has 30 days to respond. There is a minimum of 6 months before you can officially terminate the marriage after you serve your spouse with the divorce filing.
There are many other steps required to complete a California divorce. People discover is easy to file divorce but often difficult to complete without professional help. A simple, low-cost option to file divorce in Sacramento County is using the services of A People’s Choice. We offer full-service document preparation and case management services to make sure you quickly complete your Sacramento divorce without unnecessary delays. Call us today at 800-747-2780 or use our online contact form.
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