Do You Need a Lawyer to Get Divorced in California?
No, California doesn’t require a lawyer to get divorced. Here’s when you can skip the attorney, when you shouldn’t, and the affordable middle option most people miss.
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How to Serve Divorce Papers in California
You can’t serve divorce papers yourself in California. Here are the three legal ways to serve your spouse, what to file afterward, and how to avoid delays.
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Marital Settlement Agreement in California: What It Is and Why It Matters
A Marital Settlement Agreement is the written contract that settles your California divorce. Here’s what it covers, why it matters, and how to get one prepared.
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Responding to a Divorce Petition in California
Served with divorce papers in California? You have 30 days to respond. Here’s what responding means, what happens if you don’t, and how to file your Response.
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Default Divorce in California: How It Works
A default divorce lets you finalize your California divorce when your spouse won’t respond. Here’s how it works, the two types, and how to move forward.
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Spousal Support in California: How Alimony Works
How spousal support works in California: temporary vs. long-term, how amounts are decided, the 10-year rule, and what it means for your divorce paperwork.
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Child Custody in California: How It Works
A plain-English guide to child custody in California: legal vs. physical custody, the best-interest standard, parenting plans, and how agreed custody is documented.
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Child Support in California: How It’s Calculated
How child support works in California: the guideline formula, what income and parenting time mean for the amount, the 2025 SB 343 update, and how orders get documented.
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Property Division in California: Who Gets the House?
How property is divided in a California divorce: community vs. separate property, what “who gets the house” really involves, and how an agreed split is documented.
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Divorcing With Children in California: What to Know
Divorcing with children in California? Here’s how custody, child support, and a parenting plan fit together, plus what the court needs and how agreed terms get filed.
