Get CA FL-515 2003-2024

Prepare and File Initial Petition. Serve Your Spouse. Exchange Financial Information. Sign a Marital Settlement Agreement. Request to Enter Default. Submit Final Judgment. Marital Termination Date Set. Prepare and File Initial Petition. Prepare and File Initial Petition.

The filing fee for a divorce petition is $435. For the spouse filing a response to that petition, the fee is also $435. You may pay additional court fees depending on your county. Additional costs for your divorce will vary depending on which route you take to resolve it.

Prepare and File Initial Petition. Serve Your Spouse. Exchange Financial Information. Sign a Marital Settlement Agreement. Request to Enter Default. Submit Final Judgment. Marital Termination Date Set. Prepare and File Initial Petition. Prepare and File Initial Petition.

How Long Does It Take to Get Divorced in California? You will remain married for at least six months in California after you file your petition for divorce. California is one of several states that has a waiting period to make sure you really want to do what you're about to do.

You can only get a free divorce if the court agrees to waive your divorce filing fee. Contact your local county courthouse clerk and ask about pro se litigant divorce requirements. ... You can only get a fee waiver if you and your spouse are financially unable to pay the filing fee for financial hardship reasons.

Most divorce attorneys will charge a flat fee or an hourly rate, depending on the case. A flat fee can cost you between $900 and $6,000, again depending on the nature and complexity of your case.

File Divorce in California Without A Lawyer. If you want to file a divorce in California, the law does not require you to hire a lawyer to settle this issue. Most divorce proceedings can be easily handled without involving lawyers and the high expense that comes with using a lawyer's services.

To file for divorce without an attorney, talk it through with your spouse beforehand, if you can, to divide up assets and debts and discuss custody of children, if you have any. Go online or visit your county clerk's office to get the forms you'll need, like the petition for divorce and summons.

It is simply a matter of completing the paperwork, filing it with the court, and attending a hearing, all of which you can do on your own. A "do-it-yourself" divorce is not always wise, but it may be an option if money for an attorney is a concern and your divorce isn't too complicated.

It is simply a matter of completing the paperwork, filing it with the court, and attending a hearing, all of which you can do on your own. A "do-it-yourself" divorce is not always wise, but it may be an option if money for an attorney is a concern and your divorce isn't too complicated.

Obtain the necessary petition that opens a divorce case by going down to your local courthouse and requesting a blank form. ... Complete the divorce petition, giving the required information. ... Fill in the fee-waiver petition, which will claim that you do not have the resources to pay the filing fee for the divorce petition.

Don't forget to consult an attorney. ... Don't neglect your finances. ... Don't immediately tell everyone you are getting a divorce. ... Don't use your children as pawns. ... Don't take divorce advice from family and friends. ... Don't do anything you'll regret later.

The court usually doesn't care which spouse files for divorce first, particularly in California. ... Because marital fault isn't an issue, both spouses have equal legal footing, regardless of who instigates the proceedings. Filing first might lend a few practical advantages, however, depending on your concerns.

Decide on the grounds for your legal separation. ... Obtain Form FL-100 Petition - Marriage either from your local county court or by downloading it from the California courts website. ... Complete Form FL-100 and file it at your local county court. ... Complete Form FL-105/GC-120 if you have children under 18.

In some states that recognize judicial separation, such as Connecticut, you can be legally separated within four to six months after filing your initial paperwork with the court. This process requires that you and your spouse resolve issues on your own and memorialize your terms in a signed settlement agreement.