California, the state with the world’s best beaches and home to lavish customs and lifestyle, is probably not the most pocket-friendly state. Divorce in California is expensive, confusing, and a little chaotic. Contrary to popular belief, this unpleasant situation can get overturned.
As hectic and emotionally draining as divorce is, nobody needs complex legal matters to add to the desolation. Thanks to the free, printable forms available on the California Courts’ website, you can get a smooth divorce without an attorney. Since divorce is mostly paperwork, all you need to do is fill the individual forms correctly and file the paperwork with the court on time.
Keep reading to know which California divorce papers you need and where to find them.
“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!”
“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.”
“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.”
“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.”
“I would just like to comment on what a great job A People’s Choice did with my divorce. I have just received the final judgement 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 you quick responses. A People’s Choice is a good deal for the consumer.”
“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!”
“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!”
“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!”
“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.”
“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!”
“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.”
“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.”
“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.”
“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. “
“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.”
“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.”
“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!”
“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.”
“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!“
“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.”
“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!”
“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“
“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.”
“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!”
“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!”
“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.”
“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!”
“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. “
“Very professional, excellent follow up and easy to work with. I will recommend them often! The staff rocks!”
“Extremely satisfied with the performance of A People’s Choice. The communication was excellent and all was handled in a timely efficient manner. “
“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.”
“Super prices, great service, I can’t say enough about this place. We had A People’s Choice help us with a trust and POA. They are the best!”
“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!”
“.”
“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.”
“Made the process so easy for me. Also VERY prompt replies through email. So glad I used their services.“
“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.”
“We love A People Choice. It’s legally run and professional. Everyone has to have a recommendation and license. Highly recommended.”
How Long Does It Take to Get a Divorce in California?
The length of a divorce service process depends on various factors. To begin with, there is a mandatory waiting period of six months before filing the list of forms required for divorce. There is nothing you can do to reduce this period. Even if your legal separation was decades ago based on family law forms, you will have to wait six months after filing the divorce petition to get a divorce.
It is advised that you pay the filing fee and keep all your documents ready to get the divorce finalized as soon as the waiting period is over. Any additional documents should also get provided after the six-month waiting period. Ensure that you’ve filled the correct forms before the divorce process starts.
The length of a divorce depends on whether your divorce is contested or uncontested, i.e., whether the court needs to interfere or you and your spouse can negotiate and agree on everything related to the divorce issues.
The divorce may stretch even more if minor children are involved. Custody of children’s battles tends to take a lot of time even if both parents are cooperative. However, this time is important since young children are involved and you need to make decisions regarding child custody. If parents try to rush the divorce and do not give their children enough time to cope, it could affect their mental health adversely.
How Do I File for Divorce in California?
Grounds for Divorce
California was the first state to adopt the concept of “no-fault” divorce, meaning that the grounds for divorce in California are “irreconcilable differences.” So, if your partner does not want a divorce, you can independently end the marriage (mutual consent for divorce is no longer compulsory).
Eligibility
Before the filing process for divorce in California, you must first check whether you meet the eligibility criteria or not.
The California divorce residency requirement states that at least one spouse must be a resident of the state of California for at least six months before filing the divorce petition and requesting for nullity of marriage. You also must be living in the county where you are submitting the divorce plea for at least three months before filing the petition. If neither spouse fulfills California’s six-month living requirement, they can file legal separation form attachments and then modify the petition when they meet the residency criteria.
Steps for a California Divorce
Once you’re positive that you meet the criteria, you can file the mandatory standard forms needed to start a divorce. Detailed information on these forms is available in the next section.
After this step, you will have to serve the divorce papers to your spouse to make them officially aware that a case has been opened for marriage dissolution and legal separation. During the divorce proceedings, you can demand temporary orders through self-help forms if required. You can also obtain relevant information from your spouse through “discovery.”
Next, you will have to fill all financial disclosure forms for your divorce paperwork. Following this, you can proceed with a settlement or trial, based on the complexity of your case regarding the nullity of marriage.
Finally, once you receive your filed judgment back from the court with a judge’s signature on it, along with a separately filed Notice of Entry of Judgment, you will know that your marriage divorce is final.
What Printable Divorce Papers Do I Need?
You will need the following legal forms for your California divorce:
-
Petition (Form FL-100):
All divorce proceedings start with a divorce petition. This form includes basic information about you and your spouse. It also declares whether you’re opting for legal separation, dissolution of marriage, or dissolution of a domestic partnership. If you choose dissolution of marriage, you have to indicate that you meet the residency requirements mentioned in the previous section. This form also requires you to state the reason for the dissolution of marriage. Since California is a no-fault divorce state, you will have two options to choose from: irreconcilable differences or invalidity of the marriage from the very beginning. This form also indicates which spouse is the petitioner and which is the respondent regarding the nullification of marriage.
-
Declaration Under the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (Form FL-105):
If you and your spouse have children from your marriage, then this form is mandatory in representing a minor child. Apart from the basic information about your children like name, age, and height, this form requires you to mention if there is any domestic violence restraining/protective order currently in effect or if your divorce child has ever been involved in a court case. This may then call for child support custody. If you have no dependent children in your marriage, you can skip filling this form.
-
Summons (Form FL-110):
You do not need to fill anything out in this form. Instead, the court fills this form out to provide you and your spouse with essential information regarding your divorce. It mentions that the petitioner has filed for divorce and that the respondent must respond within 30 days. It also provides a list of things that you or your spouse cannot do until you receive a final judgment of divorce.
-
Proof of Service of Summons (Form FL-115):
As the name suggests, this form is basically to prove that the petitioner has served the respondent with the necessary divorce documents. The simple form also indicates when and how the service took place. Unlike other legal divorce forms, you or your spouse do not have to fill this one. Instead, the person who carried out the service is responsible for filling this form. Anybody who isn’t involved in the divorce case and is above the age of 18 years can serve the legal papers.
-
Proof of Personal Service (Form FL-330):
The petitioner can choose how to serve the divorce papers based on the type of divorce. The most common choice is personal service wherein someone physically delivers (serves) the legal papers. The person serving the papers must sign this form to indicate that the service happened this way indeed.
-
Proof of Service by Mail (Form FL-335):
Though not very common, service by mail is also legally acceptable for a marital situation. Here too, the person serving the papers via email must sign the form. Even though the service is online, a third party is necessary.
-
Notice and Acknowledgement of Receipt (Form FL-117):
This form allows the respondent to confirm that they have duly received the package of forms. This is a very pertinent form because if the respondent fails to respond within 30 days of receiving the papers, the judge rules a default judgment that is usually in favor of the petitioner. If this form is missing, the court will suspect that the respondent may not have received the papers.
-
Response (Form FL-120):
If you are the respondent who has been served with the papers, this is the form you need to fill. The form’s contents are similar to those of the petition (Form FL-100). The only difference is that the respondent fills this and not the petitioner.
-
Appearance, Stipulations, and Waivers (Form FL-130):
This form is signed by both spouses and indicates whether it is a contested or an uncontested divorce.
-
Declaration of Disclosure (Form FL-140):
This form requires both spouses to mention everything about their expenses, income, debts, and assets. Both community and separate property need to be stated in this form.
-
Declaration Regarding Service of Declaration of Disclosure and Income and Expense Declaration (Form FL-141):
In this form, both you and your spouse will have to sign off that the other one has provided relevant financial disclosures and associated documents.
-
Notice of Entry of Judgment (Form FL-190):
This form is to notify you and that your divorce is final. If you hired an attorney for your divorce, this is when the billable hours will stop piling up.
How Do I Get Printable Divorce Papers?
All the divorce forms mentioned above, and other forms that you may need, are available for free on the California Court’s website under the Self-help section. All the forms are available as PDF documents and are printable. For your ease, printable forms have been linked in the previous section as well.
Do I Need an Attorney?
Even the most organized people make mistakes when they are emotionally and mentally stressed. So it is not unusual for spouses to get stuck here and there in the divorce process. When this happens, you can go one of two ways, either request a family law facilitator at the court to review your forms and make sure that everything is in order, or use a legal document assistance service for detailed instructions like A People’s Choice.
If you wish to hire a divorce lawyer, the California Courts website has a list of recommended family law attorneys in every county.
However, do not forget the beaches, the lavish lifestyle, and the expensive attorneys of California. If you hire an attorney, your divorce will cost you somewhere around $17,500. The cost can rise to $26,000 in cases involving children.
If you don’t feel like paying all that extra money, our team of legal document assistants is exactly what you need.
Leave A Comment