When you get a divorce, it legally ends your marriage.  You will be single again and you can marry or become a domestic partner to someone else.  You can ask the judge for orders like spousal support, division of property and other orders.  If you have children, you can ask for child support, custody and visitation rights.

In the case of legal separation, it does not end the marriage so you cannot remarry or enter a partnership with someone else.  Some couples might prefer legal separation to divorce for religious reasons or other factors but they can still decide on the division of property rights and parenting issues.

In the case of annulment, a court may grant you one if it determines that the marriage was not legally valid in the first place such as an incestuous relationship or bigamy was involved.  Other grounds for an annulment include the use of force to enter the marriage, the partner was too young, or the partner was already married.  Annulments are hard to obtain.  In seeking a marriage annulment, you will need to go a hearing before a judge.

If you are seeking to end a relationship in one of the three methods as described, you will need to meet the California’s residency requirements.  If you are unsure if you meet these requirements or have other questions, it is best to pose them to a Los Angeles divorce attorney.  Los Angeles divorce lawyers can be of tremendous help as they know the family law of the state and county.  They can make sure all your forms are properly filled at the local level and filed.  They can also represent you in contesting for the division of property, spousal support and child custody and visitations.  The bottom line is, having an experienced divorce lawyer in Los Angeles working for you saves you a lot of added headache and grief in an already difficult time.

When filing for a divorce in Los Angeles, yes you can get the forms and fill them for yourself but there are so many other legal aspects to consider. There are California and county residency requirements, and whether or not you and your spouse contest the case regarding money, property or parenting if you have children together. This can be easy or complex but either way, it is highly recommended that you should get a competent divorce lawyer in Los Angeles. A good divorce lawyer can help you navigate the issues of child custody and support, spousal support and other division of property and debt along with other details. As mentioned in a previous post, this is why it’s important to keep organized and have personal papers ready when preparing to meet with a Los Angeles divorce lawyer.

When you start your divorce case, filling out the forms can be overwhelming. Note that depending on your particular case, not all the forms need to be filled. When in doubt with the forms, consult with your divorce lawyer.

The divorce proceedings start by filling a petition form to dissolve the marriage. Another form is filled to notify your spouse that a court case has started and they must respond in 30 days. If the spouse does not respond within the 30 days, you can file an entry of default whereby you can proceed with the divorce without their participation. If the spouse does file the necessary paperwork within the 30 days, the case will proceed as a contested or uncontested matter.

If the action is contested by your spouse and the issues cannot be resolved out of court, your attorney can represent you in a court trial. This is why you need a divorce attorney if things go contested. You do not need the stress and headache of going through a messy divorce. A good divorce lawyer in Los Angeles can save your sanity and help you get on with your life as a single person.