California Divorce Forms, filled out for you.
Skip the 20+ confusing court PDFs. Answer plain-English questions and The Complete Divorce fills in every form your case needs — with step-by-step guidance from California attorney-mediator Dina Haddad.
- 26 court-approved forms, picked for your exact case
- Filled from simple questions — no legalese, no guessing FL numbers
- One shared platform for both spouses
Building your FL-100…
Warning
To file for divorce in California, at least one spouse must have lived in the state for six months and in the county where filing for at least three months to file for divorce. This doesn't apply to legal separation. Consider changing your response.
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20+ court forms. One wrong box can cost you months.
California courts use the same standard forms for divorce (dissolution) and legal separation, for marriages and domestic partnerships. They’re full of legalese, and mistakes lead to costly errors, lengthy delays and doubled expenses. Add high attorney fees and court backlogs, and a simple case can become a budget and emotional nightmare.
- Work out which of 20+ forms apply to your case
- Decode confusing, 50-page legal forms
- High risk of court rejection and re-filing
- Months of frustrating research
- The right forms chosen for your case and county
- Step-by-step guided questions in plain English
- 100% attorney-validated, error-free paperwork
- Expert-led sessions, workshops and a 1-on-1 strategy meeting to review your forms
Which California divorce forms do you need?
We’ve organized the forms for the Petitioner (the spouse filing) and the Respondent, so you have a structured way to begin. Answer two quick questions to build your checklist, then open any form’s guide or blank PDF.
Forms to start a divorce
The spouse who files first is the Petitioner: the petition packet opens your case and tells the court what you’re asking for on the marriage, property, custody and support. If you’ve been served, you’re the Respondent, and your response lets you agree or disagree with the petition’s terms. How filing and responding works.
Informs the court and your spouse of your requests regarding the marriage, property, child custody, and support.
Formally notifies your spouse of the divorce case and places automatic restraining orders on both parties.
It prevents a default judgment and allows you to agree or disagree with the Petition's terms.
Helps the court determine if it has the legal authority to make custody decisions for your children.
California’s joint petition allows spouses to start a divorce or legal separation together.
Proof of service forms
After filing, your spouse must be formally served, and you must prove it to the court. If you file a response, you must also serve a copy on the Petitioner and prove it. Step-by-step guide to filing and serving.
Provides legal proof that the Respondent was properly notified of the lawsuit.
To obtain proof of service without a formal process server, provided the Respondent cooperates.
It provides the court with legal validation that the Petitioner received your filed documents.
To provide legal proof of service when documents are sent through the mail instead of hand-delivered.
Financial disclosure forms
Both spouses have a strict and necessary legal duty to provide complete financial disclosure. It’s mandated in every California divorce, and preliminary declarations of disclosure are exchanged within 60 days of filing. Declaration of disclosure explained.
It is your sworn statement that you have been transparent with your spouse.
Serves as an alternative to the FL-142 for cases with less complex estates.
Provides the court with proof that both parties have complied with disclosure laws.
Settlement agreement & child support forms
Your Marital Settlement Agreement (MSA) documents the final agreement between you and your spouse, from property division to child support. With minor children, California’s guideline child support forms are added. Our 7-step MSA guide.
To formally document a mutual agreement that may deviate from the standard guideline calculation.
To facilitate income withholding and enforcement by the local child support agency.
To ensure child support orders are consistent, fair, and based on accurate financial details.
To provide a complete financial picture for an accurate support calculation when needed.
Forms to finalize your divorce
These are the final forms needed to legally finalize your marriage. They formalize all agreements or court orders into a legally binding judgment. When your divorce is final.
To legally dissolve the marriage and record all final decisions on asset division, support, and custody.
To prove to the court that the case is ready for a judgment without a trial.
To formalize your agreement and confirm both spouses are waiving further notices and hearings.
To provide additional space to outline the precise terms of your marital settlement agreement.
To save time if both parties agree they have enough financial information to proceed.
To formally signal the start of the appeal deadlines and provide proof the marriage is dissolved.
Motion and hearing forms
Only needed if you want temporary orders on support, custody or attorney fees, or need to enforce an existing court order. Uncontested couples, who agree on the major issues, usually skip this step.
To obtain temporary decisions on support, custody, attorney fees, or other urgent matters.
To oppose or agree with the temporary orders requested by the other party.
To enforce existing court orders and hold the violating party in contempt.
County forms: while the basic forms are the same statewide, some counties, like Riverside, Sacramento and San Diego, require extra local forms on parenting plans or local procedures. Check your court’s requirements with the California Courts locator. The Complete Divorce includes customized, county-specific forms.
How The Complete Divorce fills your forms
Built by California attorney-mediator Dina Haddad, the program turns 20+ court forms into a guided checklist you can finish from home, on your own schedule. Preview each step in our video tutorials.
Everything you need for $49.99/mo
California’s online divorce program: expert-reviewed court forms, lifetime editing and filing support, without attorney fees. One plan covers both spouses, and you can cancel anytime.
“I’ll guide you through the exact steps to generate your 100% court-approved California divorce forms.”
Dina HaddadCalifornia attorney-mediator, creator of The Complete Divorce
- Divorce portal access
- Court-approved, county-specific forms
- Expert-led forms help
- Attorney-grade MSA builder
- Court-ready parenting plan
- Bi-weekly divorce expert webinar
- Video guides, checklists & flowcharts
- One shared platform for spouses
- Lifetime editing & filing support
- Priority customer support
Court PDFs vs. a lawyer vs. The Complete Divorce
The same court forms, three very different experiences.
- Total cost
- “Free” (plus costly mistake risks)
- Ease of use
- Confusing 50-page legal forms
- Forms accuracy
- High risk of court rejection
- Time to complete
- Months of frustrating research
- Total cost
- $49.99/mo, spouse account included
- Ease of use
- Step-by-step guided questions
- Forms accuracy
- 100% attorney-validated
- Time to complete
- Average is less than 6 months
- Total cost
- $3,000–$5,000+ retainer
- Ease of use
- Requires multiple office visits
- Forms accuracy
- High (but expensive)
- Time to complete
- Months to years
Rated 5 stars by California couples
See how real Californians avoided courtroom drama, saved thousands in legal fees, and finalized their divorce from home. Read more client testimonials.
California divorce forms: FAQ
Quick answers before you start your paperwork. For more, see our full FAQ or the divorce blog.
Yes, you can get California divorce forms online from The Complete Divorce or California courts website.
Yes, you can file your divorce papers online in California. Some counties have e-filing available through their local court websites to file divorce papers online. The Complete Divorce is a premier online divorce service helping California couples complete their divorce without a lawyer and chaos.
While the overall divorce expenses in California will differ, the costs of the court files will be about $435 per person. Your overall costs will depend on whether you used an attorney, a service or filed all by yourself.
The Complete Divorce is a 100% legitimate program designed and led by California family law expert Dina Haddad. Additionally, the program offers court-approved forms, MSA, 1-1 divorce expert support and filing and reviewing so that couples can complete their divorce without a second thought. We are not a law firm and, therefore, cannot provide legal advice or act as a substitute for an attorney.
The cheapest way for a divorce is an uncontested and do-it-yourself divorce. It’s because you save yourself from an attorney’s fees, extended legal billings and court visits.
You can represent yourself in a divorce in California, a practice known as proceeding in pro per. This is common in uncontested cases, where spouses agree on all the major issues such as property and custody. See if it can work for your case.
Most uncontested DIY divorce cases take about 3-6 months to complete their divorce. However, the length of time can vary between the parties commitment level, the court’s filing timeframes, and resolving conflict.
Get your California divorce forms done right, the first time.
Answer simple questions, let the system fill in your forms, and get guidance from attorney-mediator Dina Haddad. $49.99/mo, cancel anytime.