California Divorce

If you have children, custody is usually the part of a California divorce that matters most — and the part with the least room for guesswork. California doesn’t default to one parent over the other; instead, every decision is measured against a single legal standard: what’s actually best for the child. Here’s how that standard works in practice, what the different types of custody actually mean, and what to expect if you and your co-parent don’t agree right away. ...

California is a community property state — which means most of what you and your spouse own gets treated as jointly owned the moment you divorce, regardless of whose name is on the title or whose paycheck bought it. That single rule shapes almost every financial decision in a California divorce, so understanding it early saves real time and money later. Here’s exactly how property gets divided, what counts as “yours” versus “shared,” and which forms make it official. ...

Divorce in California follows a specific legal sequence — and once you see the whole path laid out, each individual step stops feeling overwhelming. This is the master roadmap: every stage of a California divorce, in order, with a detailed guide linked at each step for when you’re ready to go deeper. Quick Answer: The California Divorce Process at a Glance Eligibility: 6 months of California residency, 3 months in your filing county Cost: $435 per filing fee (or $870 total if filed separately by both spouses) Minimum timeline: 6 months and 1 day from the date of service — or from the filing date if you use the new Joint Petition — regardless of how quickly you agree Core forms: FL-100, FL-110, FL-140, FL-142/FL-160, FL-150, FL-115 New in 2026: an optional Joint Petition (FL-700) lets fully-agreeing couples file together under one case Stage 1: Decide Your Approach Before filing anything, figure out whether you’re handling this yourself, with a mediator, or with an attorney — and get a realistic sense of what it will cost either way. ...