Providing Divorce Mediation Services Throughout California
Divorce can feel like it’s taking forever, and sometimes, you just want to know when it’s finally over. Well, the answer is complex because not all the divorce timelines are the same in California.
Nevertheless, we at Family First Mediation have worked with hundreds of clients to start and finish their divorce process in less than 6 months.
Book a free consultation with Dina Haddad, today and divorce with your spouse peacefully and
In this post, we will provide you with all you need to know when your divorce is final and your marital status can dissolve – in other words, you are legally single.
Keep reading!
You can finish the paperwork for your divorce as soon as you are able, but your marital status will not dissolve for at least 6 months and one day from when the petition is filed and served or the responses filed, whichever is.
This basically means you have a divorce judgment but are still legally married.
If your case is completed under the 6-month period, your marital status will dissolve on a future date. You will not need to do anything for your marital status to dissolve.
It will be automatic based on which you provide the court on the appropriate forms, the FL-180 and the FL-190. Let’s break this down further.
Is divorce without splitting assets possible in California? Check out the blog as it details 7 tips for Californian couples looking to divorc e without splitting assets.
After filing the petition and serving it on your spouse, the waiting period as per the California legislature Family Code Section 2339 starts.
This is required by California law where the parties’ marital status cannot be finalised until at least six months and one day have passed.
Note that this phase begins after you and the other party submit a joint petition (available in 2026 and after), serve the Petition, or file a response, whichever is first. It’s not after the judge signs the final judgement.
What’s the use of the six months divorce waiting period? It’s to give couples time to reconsider their decision and also sort other things through like child support, custody and division of assets.
When you have reached all your agreements, you submit your divorce judgment to the court.
One sign that the divorce is coming to an end is when the judge signs on the final judgement (Form FL-180). But note that this isn’t the end, but a step to the end.
The document still needs to be filed with the court clerk or else your divorce won’t be officially recorded. On the FL-180, both in the caption and on the form, you will insert the date in which your marital status will dissolve.
If your divorce is uncontested, it can take four to six months to get to the judge’s signature. But if it is contested, it can take over a year before a judge signs. At Families First Mediation, we have a unique process to help couples speed up this process
After the judge signs the decree and has been filed with the court clerk, you will receive a Notice of Entry of Judgment (Form FL-190).
This document is primarily for the court and is part of the legal documents for your case.
Once you have reached this phase, it means the law now recognizes your divorce and the process is at its end.
On the FL-190, mid-way down, you will enter the date in which your marital status will dissolve.
In many situations, your divorce judgment form can come with an “Effective Date of Termination”.
This refers to when your divorce is final and done. So once the date has passed, you are legally divorced.
If your divorce decree doesn’t come with this date, you can ask your family law attorney to request this information from the court.
After seeing these signs, you can confirm your divorce status online in California through the LA Family Law Records.
Alternatively, you can visit any California courthouse kiosk to get a confirmation of your divorce status.
The Divorce Decree is a legal document that finalizes the dissolution of marriage. In other words, it’s the final judgment from a judge that completely dissolves your marriage or domestic partnership.
The document typically includes details such as:
It will also cover the terms of the divorce such as child custody, visitation rights, property division, child and spousal support, and other relevant orders made by the court.
This decree is typically issued after you have gone through the necessary legal process. You can also get it online through the LA Family Law Records or any California courthouse kiosk.
Note: If your divorce is contested, the decree might get delayed for over a year.
The divorce judgment is your final paperwork that contains your agreement or court orders regarding your divorce.
This will include any orders or agreements for spousal support, child support, custody, and asset and debt division related to your case.
You may need to order a certified copy , which you can use to change your last name or needed for some retirement transfers (in rare situations).
Note that you can request to modify the orders for child support, spousal payment, and child custody. But for this to go through, both parties need to agree on these modifications or get a new court order.
So what do you need to successfully file for a petition for dissolution in California? There are three main things:
Have you ever heard of automatic divorce in California? This blogpost talks about automatic divorce and long separation.
Keep in mind that divorces aren’t always smooth. Issues like disputes over child custody and division of assets can make the process take over a year.
Fortunately, you can avoid these issues or resolve them faster using Dina’s mediation services.
Dina Haddad is the founder of Families First Mediation, a firm born to help couples navigate the divorce process through compassionate mediation.
With over two decades of experience in Family Law, Dina excels at facilitating fair agreements and reducing the stress and cost of the divorce process.
At the same time, Dina is also great at managing high-conflict and high-asset cases, ensuring that both parties reach a fair resolution.
If you need help navigating the complexities of divorce, schedule a free consultation call with Dina. Let’s talk about how we can help!
In the end, the best way to know if your divorce is final is when you see the signs. These include when the judge signs the judgement form, you receive an entry of judgement, and then receive your date of termination. Also note that you can check your divorce status with the LA Family Law court records, which are available online.
However, these complex processes can make your already stressful situation overwhelming. Let us help you make it easier. Contact Dina Haddad today!
You will receive a Notice of Entry of Judgment (Form FL-190), which means that the law recognizes your divorce. The official date that your marital status dissolved or is dissolving will be in the middle of that form.
At the last phase, the court will require you to submit some forms, such as court orders, agreements, and any other legal issue.
Once they have been reviewed and nothing is missing, the judge will sign the judgement form. We often refer to this as the divorce judgment packet.
California has a mandatory “cooling off” period between divorce and remarriage. This is six months per the California legislature Family Code Sec 2339.
Once the waiting period has passed you can remarry as soon as you want.
Families First Mediation is a pioneer in the field of divorce mediation. Our entire divorce mediation team takes great pride in being active trainers, divorce mediators and teachers of mediation in the greater California area. If you are considering a collaborative divorce, legal seperation or looking for a san jose divorce lawyer we have services that may be beneficial to you. Take advantage of our vast expertise and background in the field of divorce mediation and our genuine desire to help with your divorce mediation services.
