The Divorce Process Caring & Effective Legal Advocacy

The California Divorce Process

What Are the Grounds for Divorce in California?

In the state of California, the grounds for marriage dissolution include the following:

  • Irreconcilable differences
  • Incurable insanity

As far as finalizing a divorce in California, if circumstances change and the original divorce order is no longer suitable to your life, you can seek a new order by filing for a post-judgment modification.

The court may grant a modification to child custody or visitation, child support, or spousal support because of such circumstances as the loss of a job, changes in the child's needs, or a serious illness. If you would like to know if your situation qualifies for a modification, it is important to speak with a knowledgeable attorney at our firm.

Experienced Divorce Lawyers Can Help

When you and your spouse are considering divorce, it is important that you take the time to make yourself aware of your legal rights and how the process works. At Claery & Hammond, LLP our divorce and family attorneys are dedicated to providing you with the legal counsel and representation you need to ensure this transitional period in your life goes as smoothly as possible. Though divorce can often be a highly contested and emotional situation, our solution-oriented attorneys will always work diligently to help protect you and your family.

How Long Does a Divorce Take in California?

The divorce process takes a minimum residency requirements: you must have been a resident of the state of California for 189 days, or 6 months in order to file divorce in the state.

What is the Divorce Process in California?

  1. First, you must file a divorce petition and then serve your spouse with this petition. After this occurs, the spouse who has been served ("Respondent") has 30 days in which to respond to the petition (this is called a "Response"). If you are the individual who has been served and you fail to respond, the divorce case can go on without your presence or participation. If this were to occur, the original petitioner would then request court orders regarding custody, support (both child and spousal), property division and other aspects of the divorce. There is then a waiting period of six months and one day after the Respondent was originally served.
  2. If, however, the Respondent does file a response in the appropriate time period, then you and your spouses will exchange information about property, income and other relevant information. This is referred to as "Discovery."
  3. After this point, you can either resolve your agreements together or with the help of attorneys, or one or both spouses can request that the case go before the court to order certain things before the trial by filing an Order to Show Cause. In this case, each or you will appear in court to discuss your "side" of the issue. Usually cases go to court over child custody, spousal support, child support, domestic violence issues (including restraining orders), and even attorney's fees.
  4. After Discovery, you and your spouse will be encouraged to settle any matters you can outside of court during a Marital Settlement Conference.
  5. Then, if all issues are not settled and it is still necessary to get court orders for some or all aspects of the divorce, a trial date is set.
  6. At the trial, your attorney will present your case and any evidence relating to the case in order to help ensure that you receive the outcome that you desire.
  7. After hearing both sides, the court will make a judgment.

Our Experienced Los Angeles Divorce Lawyers Can Help Guide You Through The Process

Founding partner and attorney Lance Claery has years of experience representing clients during divorce proceedings in Southern California. Our firm understands that this is a difficult time for you and your loved ones, and we believe you deserve attentive and effective legal counsel. We would be proud to guide you through the divorce process, and you can be confident that you will receive aggressive advocacy before the courts.

Contact a Los Angeles divorce attorney at Claery & Hammond, LLP today. You can also reach us by calling (310) 817-6904.

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