How to File for Divorce in Los Angeles County, CA Written By Sandra McCarthy Founder, A People’s Choice Fact Checked Marital relationships are not always picture perfect. If you’ve found yourself thinking, “I want a divorce” more and more often and you’re a resident of LA county, you’ll need to know how to file for divorce in Los Angeles County. Regaining your marital freedom doesn’t have to be a painful and drawn-out process. As long as you and your spouse meet the residency requirements and other additional requirements and abide by the legal process rules, you can end your marriage relatively conveniently and amicably. Below you’ll find all the information on how to file for divorce in Los Angeles County. “A People’s Choice prepares legal documents so you can represent yourself and still look like you know what you’re doing. I used their services recently and found them to be professional as well as extremely helpful. I couldn’t be happier.” Evan J. “I was overwhelmed with my divorce,custody and child support paperwork Sandy at People’s 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. “A People’s Choice – Saved me time, money & hardship. The people are professional and a pleasure to work with, I totally recommend them to everyone! I will used them for all my legal documents in the future. Thank you!” C. Lazalde “How much is peace of mind worth to you? This company of hardworking, caring individuals will help you get the job done in the quickest, most efficient way. Conveniently located. Check it out. Thank you!” Diana K. “Great way to get your divorce processed without attorneys for approx. $495. There were a few small hiccups with the documents, but nothing major, which I caught when I reviewed. I am happy with their service, efficient and organized, and would recommend them for filing a divorce that is mutually settled and skip the attorneys. Note: They are not process servers, so find your own server, or if you can do it yourself and save the $$. Thanks for a job well done!” Bud P. “Can not remember how I found A People’s Choice. I think it was through a web search. In any case I found the company and have been and am completely satisfied with the service provided. The person I worked with (Sandra) was very friendly whenever we spoke on the phone and always responded promptly to any emails. The answers were always clear. The entire process was smooth and painless. I would recommend A People’s Choice without hesitation.” Les A. “I’m so glad I found this company to handle my divorce. They were very professional and detail oriented. They answered all of my (many) questions and kept me informed along the way. 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. Highly recommend them to anyone!” Jessica J. “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 “Very professional, excellent follow up and easy to work with. I will recommend them often! The staff rocks!” Gene A. “A People’s Choice is awesome! They made the legal documentation process painless. I highly recommend A People’s Choice. The name says it all.” Eric J. “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 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 paper work. 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. “A People’s Choice is extremely customer orientated and friendly. Their service was fast and reliable. in the future, should I need their services again, I will not hesitate to call them. All e-mails were answered with either a phone call or e-mail sometimes even late at night“ Tar “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. “I was in need of some serious help and didn’t know what to do. I had contacted a lawyer and he wanted to charge me $1800.00. Then I found A People’s Choice. They were great. They got my paper work started and at a much lower cost, and steered me, with the help of lots of paper work, in the right direction. I am very grateful for the company’s services and would recommend them to any one that may need the services they offer. Thank you again.” April R. “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. “I have 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 “When I first saw all the documents required to file I was overwhelmed at the thought of it all. I was already dealing with the stress of everything else and did not want to deal with the courts, a mountain load of paperwork and trips to file as well. When I looked around, I saw A People’s Choice had some great reviews and a decent price. I am VERY happy that I went with A People’s Choice. They were very, very helpful, Sandy was very nice and patient with me, despite all of my questions. With her assistance she helped to make this difficult time much easier by making the tedious paperwork process very easy and it didn’t take too much time at all! I definitely recommend A People’s Choice.” M.McCleod “I recently required the help of A People’s Choice, Inc. and found them to be entirely professional. Everything was done in short order yet all was explained to my satisfaction. 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No disappointment here. The service was easy and painless. It might have been nice to have a discussion by phone, but it was still quite easy and quick via email. Overall, the process was simple and I would use A People’s Choice again. I am pleased.” Michael J. “I 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 “I had the opportunity to use A People’s Choice again, Wow doesn’t say enough for the way the staff was able to get me in and out and all my answers answered. Very Professional, Organized and Friendly. I highly recommend!” Debbie E. “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. “This team is efficient, professional, ethical and easy to work with. Any of my questions were responded to immediately. They did everything they could to help me. I highly recommend their services.” Leigh A. “Thank you A People’s Choice for saving me all the headaches when I thought I could save money and file my own divorce paperwork. The court clerks offer no assistance whatsoever with simple questions and handed me another packet to figure out on my own. Trust me, the best advice I can give you is to call A People’s Choice first. They typed up my paperwork and my divorce was final in two weeks! I am so grateful to them and I would highly recommend them to everyone.” L. Bayer “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 great option to get legal documents prepared inexpensively. They offer a very professional, low-cost service for all sorts of legal paperwork, from living trusts to divorce, bankruptcy and everything in between. I always received a prompt reply to my inquiries and found the legal guide they gave me extremely helpful and informative. If you know what you want to do, don’t need legal advice and just need help preparing legal paperwork, I strongly recommend calling this company. You won’t be disappointed and will save lots of money as compared to using an expensive attorney!” Kathryn R. “A People s Choice is a business that delivers what they promise. I was treated like a VIP by their staff and Sandy was the best. As for their services, they promptly delivered all 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 needed help understanding and filling out legal documents but I didn’t have enough money to pay for an attorney. I searched the internet for a short period of time looking for help and when I found A People’s Choice, I was relieved to know that I would get the exact service that I needed at an affordable price. The staff was very professional and helpful with my legal documents. They worked around my schedule and responded to my emails on a timely manner. They took care of all the paper work and filing and kept me posted. I would highly recommend A People’s Choice for your legal documents as you will get outstanding service at an affordable price. “ Sharon B. “I can’t say enough about the level of service and professionalism I received working with A People’s Choice. Emails were always responded to quickly and thoughtfully. They really care about the process and helping you get the best result with no up-selling. Of course they can’t provide legal advice, but I was referred to an attorney when I needed some questions answered who was very reasonable and easy to get a hold of as well. The process played out according to plan and I ended up saving a lot of money by going with A People’s Choice over an attorney.” M. Rice “Great service. Highly professional and efficient creating legal documents. I am completely satisfied and highly recommend them to others. I am so glad I found you on the internet. People who are looking for professional legal services look no further, try A People’s Choice.” Radtech N. “I highly recommend A People’s Choice.The customer service and professionalism is exceptional. My documents were delivered to me quickly and accurately. I didn’t contact them until late on Thursday afternoon and had everything in hand to be at the County Government Center by 8:00am on Friday morning. Compared to using an attorney for complete paperwork, this service is only a fraction of the cost, more responsive, and better suited to quickly completing complicated court forms. “ Linda F. “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. There directions were very easy to understand and they had no problem explaining something multiple times if I had questions or did not fully understand the directions. Will definitely use them again for any other legal documents I might need help with in the future.” Frank M. “We love A People Choice. It’s legally run and professional. Everyone has to have a recommendation and license. Highly recommended.” Christy C. “I 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 How to File for Divorce in Los Angeles County: Types of Divorce Dissolution of marriage can have lifelong consequences for the spouses, children—the entire household. However, picking the right method of filing for divorce can make things a bit easier. In many of the simplest divorce processes, couples deliberate over the many facets of their marriage before coming to an amicable agreement on how they will handle the process (uncontested divorce). Contested Divorce In some unfortunate scenarios, the respondent spouse may refute the decision to separate. If you’re the filing partner, in that case, you’ll have to take extra court actions. A divorce attorney may also become unavoidable in a contested divorce proceeding. At times, a contested divorce can arise from morally questionable or at times even criminal activities such as: Domestic physical violence Emotional or physical abuse Marital transgression If your divorce fits these criteria, you may need an experienced attorney and additional forms for your divorce filing process. Should I Inform My Spouse of My Plan to Divorce? Barring cases of abuse, it’s wise to approach your spouse regarding your decision to file for divorce. With them, you can attempt to amicably decide on an agreement on how you’ll proceed with the process. Your divorce process would be easier, shorter, and less expensive than a contested traditional divorce with your spouse’s cooperation. To attempt an uncontested divorce, you’ll have to choose a good time with your spouse to peacefully discuss how to set the lawful grounds for your divorce. You’ll need to agree on: Marriage financial appropriation Marital assets, including real estate Child support and custody Separation agreements How to File for Divorce in Los Angeles County in 8 Steps To separate in Los Angeles County, you should follow a specified process that sets the usual grounds for separation. You must be a resident in this county to be able to formalize the separation process. You can download the necessary country-specific family law forms on divorce from LA County Superior Court website. The court’s address is 501 W 1st St, Los Angeles, CA 90012, and they are open Monday to Friday – from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the time of writing. You can contact them at 213-351-8739 to confirm current hours, COVID protocols, and other information. The following 8 steps define a divorce process in Los Angeles. Step 1: Summons Every separation procedure begins with the Summons (FL-110) notice. You can file this and other complete court forms with the superior court and clerk of the court. Keep in mind that you will need to pay filing fees as well; check the LA county court fee schedule to determine the cost of your exact filing. To make things easier and guarantee the accuracy, you can work with a document preparation service like A People’s Choice. Action 2: Petition (FL-100) This compulsory form establishes the grounds for a divorce petition. It’s an overview petition form for divorce that contains analytical information, residency information, and other valid info that a judge needs before giving a divorce decree. If you have minor children, you must file an additional UCCJEA (FL-105) declaration. This form confirms that California state has the authority to make custody and visitation orders for minor children. Step 3: Serving the Papers This step has to do with serving your spouse with the notification from Standard Family Law Restraining Orders, or “ATROs.” As said before, this is not the best way for a spouse to learn about separation. If at all possible, tell them beforehand. You have to find a third party to serve these papers for you. A professional process server, a police officer, or a friend can serve your spouse with the initial divorce papers. You can decide when and how to serve your spouse with the divorce papers. This notice formally notifies your spouse that you’ve petitioned for a divorce. Serving the divorce forms also notifies your partner that they now need to comply with Standard Family Law Restraining Orders. They have 30 days to respond before the actual divorce process starts. Tip 4: Response This part is for the respondent partner. If you get a notification of a divorce from your spouse, you should carefully assess and examine the appropriate documents you’ve received. You have up to 30 days to send your response (acknowledgment of service) and initiate a separation hearing. You can formally react to the petitioner’s request for divorce by submitting Response (FL-120). Tip 5: Temporary Orders The minimum waiting period for divorce in Los Angeles County is six months and a day. If you find this waiting period impossible due to personal reasons, you can request short-term orders by filling out a form called Request for Order (FL-300). The short-term orders will remain enforceable until the court rules on the divorce. If you want other requirements to accompany the short-term orders, you will attach the files containing that information to the FL-300 form. Action 6: Child Custody/Visitation Orders Child Custody Recommending Counseling (CCRC), also called arbitration, is required in Los Angeles County. It is meant to solve child custody disputes. When you file for child custody and visitation, CCRC takes place according to the particular guidelines of a county. CCRC can also send written referrals to the judge regarding your child custody or visitation. Action 7: Financial Disclosure According to California law, both spouses have a fiduciary responsibility to one another. Both should give honest details through the declaration of disclosure lists. These declarations of disclosure must include: Marital debts Assets and separate property Evidence of earnings Marital property Credit card statements, including credit card debt Divorcing spouses should also reveal their joint residential or commercial property. Within 60 days of filing the initial documentation and meeting other legal requirements, both parties should submit their financial disclosure to assist with the legal division of assets. Below is the list of forms necessary when providing a financial disclosure: Fl-141 Fl-160 FL-150 Again, you can get help filling out all this paperwork from a divorce attorney or from a cost-effective legal document preparation service like A People’s Choice. Step 8: Discovery Process “Discovery” refers to the formal strategy of getting relevant information from your spouse. You have 60 days for the discovery process before the trial phase of your divorce begins and official decisions are made on the division of assets, a parenting plan, and more. How Can You Divide Retirement During Divorce in Los Angeles County? This is a major cause for concern for many divorcees, but as with anything else, preparation and a level outlook can make a big difference. Before your begin dividing your retirement benefits, you need to: Determine the value of your property and its rate of interest Find out how you will divide that value during the property division procedure Take note of these other steps as well: Submit a Joinder Joinder is a document that allows you to formally file your retirement plan as part of your collective separation. It’s compulsory for divorcing spouses to submit a joinder before they split any pension. This document considers the retirement as a claimant (interested party) to the divorce judgment. Work Out The Division of Retirement Accounts. During your divorce settlements especially if your divorce is uncontested, strategize with your spouse on how you will divide your retirement assets. That requires you to negotiate the amount each of you should get during the division. In some scenarios, one spouse may decide they will receive a percentage of the payments when the other spouse withdraws their pension plans relating to the retirement benefits. Prepare a QDRO. Coming to an alternative agreement with your spouse on how you will divide the retirement benefits is not the end of dividing retirement benefits. You also need to prepare a Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO) that relates to the division of your retirement property. The retirement manager can then use a court-approved QDRO document to divide your retirement benefits as part of your division of assets. How to File for Divorce in Los Angeles County, CA with A People’s Choice If you want a simple, smoothly executed, cost-effective divorce in Los Angeles County, then you need to get yourself a legal document preparation service like A People’s Choice. We will help you prepare all the necessary lawful documents accurately and completely. Unlike the usual expensive divorce lawyers, we charge only a reasonable fee to help you get through the process in the shortest time possible without breaking the bank. Our objective is to provide our clients with simple, affordable legal services that get the job done right. To get your divorce moving efficiently through the court system without any hold-up or lawful issues, contact A People’s Choice today! Start My Divorce By Sandra McCarthy|2023-05-12T06:42:17-07:00July 13th, 2022|California Courts, Divorce|0 Comments