Things You Need to Know About Getting Divorced in Los Angeles

Getting divorced in Los Angeles is one of the most distressing and disheartening processes that a person can go through, and both the divorcing spouses and the children get affected by the changing life events. For instance, they will experience new living arrangements, relationships, confrontations, schedules, and new expenses. A range of emotions from being sad, angry and anxiety in the entire process can hinder one from making informed decisions about their life. If you live in Los Angeles and are getting divorced right now, it is likely that you do not know about what happens in during the divorce process. You are not alone in this confusion, and the following points will give you an insight on how to handle the divorce process in Los Angeles.

 

Reasons For Getting Divorced in Los Angeles

In some states such as California, there is a law known as ‘no-fault’ divorce, and this means that you are not supposed to give a reason for divorcing your spouse or you do not need to prove that your spouse is guilty of anything. In this case, you are allowed by the court to legally file a divorce on the basis that you have ‘irreconcilable differences’ between you and your spouse. You or your spouse can file a divorce, and the other person is not allowed to obstruct the divorce process in any way. However, if your spouse is not ready to be divorced and decides to not participate in the divorce process, a default judgment will be provided anyway, and the divorce will be concluded. 

The Process Of Filing For Divorce in Los Angeles

Divorce process in Los Angeles starts with the filing of a petition that provides the court with some basic details about your marriage. Some of the things that you reveal from your petition include number of children if you have them, a property shared and businesses you own together. Depending on your situation and needs such as a plan to move to another state with children, you might be required to fill more additional forms from the judicial website. Once you are done with the paperwork, you will be required to inform your spouse about the divorce. Unless you ‘serve’ your spouse with these papers, no judgment can be done by the court on your divorce, which makes this step very essential. You and your spouse will then be required to attend a trial or a mediation meeting to settle several contested issues in your divorce. In this case, you should come with your divorce attorney to help you make better decisions. 

Choosing A Good Los Angeles Divorce Attorney

Since divorce is a personal issue, it is good to choose with a divorce attorney whom you feel comfortable working with. In this case, you will need to look for a reliable divorce attorney especially one who understands your goals in the divorce. Sometimes you may be required to interview a few of them before choosing one because you want to work with someone who will not settle for less. Also, everyone wants to save as much money as possible during the divorce process, and therefore you should consider your budget too. Choosing a good divorce attorney can be overwhelming, but if you do your homework well, and involve friends and relatives, you might end up getting the best. The amount you pay to the attorney will depend on the state you are in, the parties involved and the issues you have at hand. 

What Should You Expect?

Some of the things that will be settled before a divorce is granted in Los Angeles include child custody, child support, and division of properties that you both own separately or jointly. Most of these issues will be settled depending on the agreement you make between you two or trial judgment, but at the end of it all, a settlement will be arrived at. If you filed your divorce in LA, you should expect to wait for six months before the final decision is made and this means that even if you have agreed amicably from the beginning, you must wait for six months to elapse before your divorce gets finalized. 

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