As one would reasonably expect, not everyone can file for divorce in California. In fact, California has strict residency requirements that each person filing for divorce must meet. Although there is no way of getting around these requirements, it doesn’t mean that you absolutely can’t get divorced in California.
California’s residency requirements for married couples to file for a divorce, also known as a “dissolution of marriage”, are quite clear. One of the first steps in filing for divorce is to file a Petition for Dissolution of Marriage. On Page 1 of the Petition (Form FL-100) the person filing for divorce, the Petitioner, must check the box under oath stating that either the Petitioner or Respondent (other spouse) has been a resident of California for at least six months and a resident of the county where they are filing for at least three months preceding the filing of the Petition. The form notes that at least one person of the marriage must comply with the residency requirement. Thus, if you don’t meet the residency requirement but your spouse does, then you can still file for divorce in California.
If neither you nor your spouse meets the residency requirement, then this doesn’t mean that you can never get divorced in San Diego. You actually have a few different options. First, you can simply decide to wait to file your divorce action until you meet the residency requirement. If you are pretty close to meeting this requirement then it might not be that detrimental to hold tight in the marriage for a bit longer. You can even establish a date of separation without actually filing the petition for divorce. Talk to an experienced family law attorney to learn how you can establish a date of separation.Another option is to file a petition for legal separation instead of a petition for dissolution of marriage. As discussed in my earlier blog entitled, “Changing Your Mind from Legal Separation to Divorce,” there are no residency requirements for a married couple to file for a legal separation in California. If you intend to satisfy the California residency requirements, then once time has passed and you meet the residency requirement, you can file an amended petition and ask the court to convert the petition for legal separation into a petition for divorce. This strategy is advantageous because it will give you immediate access to the Family Law Court to ask for temporary orders. Additionally, if the case involves domestic violence then the same judge can hear both the domestic violence issue and the divorce case. Additionally, since there is a 6 month waiting period in California to terminate marital status, by filing for legal separation, the clock will start ticking on the 6 month countdown even though you filed for legal separation instead of dissolution of marriage.
Please contact us if you are considering a divorce from your spouse, a legal separation, or have questions regarding meeting residency requirement in California. Nancy J. Bickford is the only Certified Family Law Specialist (CFLS) in San Diego County who is also a licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with a Master of Business Administration (MBA). Don’t settle for less when determining your rights. Call 858-793-8884 in Del Mar, Carmel Valley, North County or San Diego.