THE AURIT CENTER Completing a summary dissolution or uncontested divorce in mediation is the simplest way to end a marriage in California. This way, spouses agree on each element of their agreement instead of letting a court make the important decisions for them.
Here are the basic steps to an uncontested divorce process:
Here are some smart ways to make divorce in California as peaceful as possible for everyone involved.
It’s helpful to know a little about how divorce works in California.
Firstly, California is a no-fault divorce state, so one spouse doesn’t need to be legally at fault for it to proceed.
Mediation involves talking things out guided by a mediator who doesn’t take sides. It saves time and money, prevents unnecessary emotional strain, and helps parents establish an effective parenting schedule. Parenting plans made in mediation create a foundation for healthy co-parenting.
An Aurit Center Certified Mediator will help you and your spouse agree on how you’ll each spend time with your children and all other matters as well.
Disagreements about money can make divorce tricky. So, gathering information from all your legal and financial documents beforehand is helpful. Determine how much money you have in the bank, what you own, and what you owe. This makes things as clear as possible and helps you and your spouse reach decisions about property division, including marital property and separate assets.
Talking about things clearly and kindly, even when it’s hard, can really help. This can make agreeing on divorce matters much easier. A professional divorce mediator can help you and your spouse to have respectful and productive conversations.
The California court system website has a lot of helpful information, including what divorce forms will likely be filed during your process. The Aurit Center has many useful divorce resources and co-parenting guides also.
Doing a little research can make the divorce much easier, as you’ll have a better idea of what to expect.
Filing your divorce petition together makes things simpler and quicker.
Sometimes, spouses don’t agree on everything at first. That’s okay and expected. Your mediator will guide you through your discussions to keep your divorce proceedings peaceful and keep conflict low.
In mediation, you and your spouse can go through your divorce peacefully and with minimal conflict.
A summary dissolution or uncontested divorce is much simpler than a contested divorce in California. In this section, we’ll explore how these options work and explain how mediation can make your divorce as simple as possible.
An uncontested divorce occurs when both parties agree on all the big questions related to their divorce, and they don’t need a judge to make decisions for them.
You can file for an uncontested divorce if you and your spouse agree on all the necessary details. You need to decide on money, community property, separate property, and arrangements related to your children. You must also follow the minimum waiting period requirement.
Here are the seven steps to an uncontested divorce:
The first step is to confirm that you and your spouse are eligible for this type of divorce. The same rules apply for same-sex spouses.
Fill out the necessary court papers for a collaborative divorce and submit them to the court. These papers will contain details about your marriage and what you’ve agreed on regarding your separation. In mediation, your mediator will file these on your behalf to simplify the process for you even more.
After you’ve filed your papers at the court, you need to officially give them to your spouse — unless you are mediating your divorce, in which your mediator will help you both file a joint petition. There are rules and requirements throughout your process, so do your research to make sure each step is done correctly.
Your spouse has 30 days to respond. If they don’t answer, the divorce continues regardless. In mediation, you will not serve your spouse with papers, so you will not need to wait for a response.
Talk with your spouse and come to a separation agreement if you’d like a quick divorce. Cover all the important details related to your separation. These include:
These are the most important divorce terms. If you choose mediation, your mediator can help you work through all aspects of your divorce together with your spouse.
Your divorce mediator will give the court your final papers showing your agreement. The court will then review them to make sure all the arrangements are written correctly.
The court will approve your agreements finalizing your divorce decree. In California, if you choose a summary divorce, you’ll be required to wait six months after your spouse gets the divorce papers before it can become official.
A summary dissolution is an alternative method of divorce. It’s quicker and easier than litigation because there’s less divorce paperwork— and your mediator can help you with these filings. There’s also no court hearing as long as you and your spouse follow the proper steps, described below, and agree on all your divorce-related matters.
To qualify for a summary dissolution, you and your spouse need to:
Here’s a step-by-step guide to filing a summary dissolution:
Mediation can make getting a divorce in California much simpler and less stressful. It allows spouses to talk about and resolve their disagreements in a supportive, collaborative environment.
Mediation simplifies divorce in the following ways:
An Aurit Center Certified Mediator can help you work through everything you need to make decisions on, including your assets, division of property and household items, and legal custody of your kids.
While the divorce is never easy, mediation can offer a much easier route through a difficult time. The Aurit Center provides a highly personalized service. We help spouses separate as amicably and productively as possible.
Take the next step with us by scheduling a free initial consultation.
