There are three options to end a California marriage: divorce, legal separation, and annulment. Here is what you need to know.

What our Clients Say...
“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
“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
“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
“A People’s Choice helped us throughout our entire year-long probate making the process very easy and manageable while at the same time saving us thousands of dollars in lawyer’s fees. Not only were they extremely friendly and fast to respond to our questions but they made the process simple enough that we hardly ever had to contact the courthouse directly and we even had a hearing done without an appearance. Would highly recommend A People’s Choice to anyone!”
A. Vuckovich
“Thank you A People’s Choice for saving me all of 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
“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.
“I would just like to comment on what a great job A Peoples Choice did with my divorce. I have just received the final judgment and could not be happier. They told me up front what the cost would be. They also 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. Thank You for your quick responses. A Peoples Choice is a good deal for the consumer.”
R. Leyva
“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
“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
“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. They were friendly and courteous. I am happy and impressed.”
C. Zyobel
“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.
“Made the process so easy for me. Also VERY prompt replies through email. So glad I used their services.“
Kristina C.
“My wife and I needed to have some papers filed in court but found that traditional lawyers were quite expensive. We found the phone number for “A People’s Choice” and gave them a call, and am so happy that we did. They did a very professional job completing our paperwork and I might say, at a very reasonable price. And you can bet; I will contact A People’s Choice again if or when the need arises. “
D. Hileman
“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
“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
“A People’s Choice helped me to complete Child Custody modification paperwork. After looking online and trying to figure out how to do it myself, I decided to search yelp for help. 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.
“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.
“We love of A People Choice. It’s legally run and professional. Everyone has to have a recommendation and license. Highly recommended.”
Christy C.
“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.
“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.
“Very professional, excellent follow up and easy to work with. I will recommend them often! The staff rocks!”
Gene A.
“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.
“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
“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.
“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.
“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.
“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.
“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.
“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.
“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.
“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.
“I can’t 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.
“When I first saw all of the documents required to file I was overwhelmed at the thought of it all. I was already dealing with the stress of everything else, I did not want to deal with the courts, a mountain load of paperwork and trips to file as well. I looked around and 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
“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.
“Overwhelmed with my divorce, custody and child support paperwork Sandy at 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.
“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 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 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 paperwork started and at a much lower cost, and steered me, with the help of lots of paperwork, in the right direction. I am very grateful for the company’s services and would recommend them to anyone that may need the services they offer. Thank you again.”
April R.
“I highly recommend A People’s Choice. The customer service and professionalism are 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 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 assistance 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 of the paperwork 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.

Get help filing a California Divorce, Legal Separation or Annulment!

  • or call 1-800-747-2780

Use Divorce to End a California Marriage

Divorce is one of the most common options used by couples to end their marriage.  In a divorce, the marriage is legally ended and two people are then are free to remarry after the court enters judgment and the designated “termination date” passes. For example, in California, a spouse can file a divorce based on “irreconcilable differences” between partners. In other words, California is a “no-fault” state, and a party who wants a divorce does not have to prove any other reason. For this reason, the court does not determine a party “guilty” during the divorce proceeding.  When considering your options to end a California marriage, remember that in all proceedings the court will be able to make order on child custody, child support, spousal support, division of assets, and who is responsible for paying debts.

To file for divorce, you must meet the requirements. In this regard, one spouse must have lived in California for the past six months and in the county where the divorce is filed for the past three months.  Remember, in California, the termination date of the marriage cannot take place before six months after filing the case and serving the other party.  If a couple does not meet the residency requirement to file divorce in California, but would like to start the divorce process as soon as possible, they can file for a legal separation. Afterward, once they meet the residence requirement, the Petition for legal separation can be amended to a divorce.

Use Legal Separation to End a California Marriage

The main difference between a divorce and a legal separation is that in a legal separation the spouses are not free to remarry because they are still technically “married.”  It is important to realize, however, that like a divorce, a court will still make orders on all issues of the marriage. In other words, the court will make orders on child custody, child support, spousal support, and division of property and debts.  In the event a couple opts for a legal separation instead of a divorce, there is no residency requirement other than living in California at the time of filing.  There are many reasons a couple may want to file legal separation and not a divorce. A couple may choose to file legal separation because of religious beliefs or personal objections to divorce. As a result, filing legal separation will allow the court to settle support, property and other issues.  Using legal separation to end a California marriage may allow a spouse to stay on the other’s health insurance. Although this may be true, we have heard stories of some insurance companies attempting to disallow this between separated spouses.

Use Annulment to End a California Marriage

The third option for ending a marriage in California is an annulment.  In an annulment proceeding, the court will declare that the marriage was never legally valid.  This is like “unringing the bell.” Be that as it may, unlike a divorce or legal separation, an annulment the court will grant an annulment only for specific reasons. Under California law, the reasons for an annulment are:

  1. The marriage is incestuous.  (i.e. the spouses are close relatives.)
  2. The marriage is bigamous.  One or both spouses were legally married at the time of the wedding.
  3. One spouse was under the age of 18 at the time of the marriage and did not have parental permission to marry.
  4. The marriage was the result of force or fraud.
  5. One spouse was mentally incapacitated at the time of the marriage.

The partner seeking an annulment must prove why the court should annul the marriage. To prove their case, the Petitioner must testify in person and present evidence in a formal court hearing before a judge. If the judge believes the Petitioner’s reasons satisfy the legal requirement, they will grant the annulment. Note that a religious annulment is not the same as a legal annulment.  Even if a couple gets an annulment from a church, they will still have to obtain a legal annulment or a divorce before they can remarry.

Contact A People’s Choice for more information on the various options to end a marriage in California. Learn more about the differences between divorce, legal separation and annulment. We offer full-service, low-cost document preparation and case help to complete a California divorce, legal separation or annulment. If you have immediate questions, please call us at 800-747-2780.

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