How Do I Finalize My Divorce?

Custody information and Divorce help provided by an experienced family law and divorce attorney serving the Temecula, Murrieta, and Hemet areas of Riverside County, California.

Dear Famularo & Associates:

My name is Elizabeth and I have a question. I filed a response to the divorce papers in 2003 and we are still not divorced. It has been too long, and I am already tired of all this. How can I make my divorce go faster so I can get remaried? I am trying my hardest to get divorced, but don't know what to do. Thank you for your time.
-- Elizabeth from Moreno Valley

Dear Elizabeth:
You have to make the divorce happen. You have to file papers and go to court. You can either hire an attorney to help you, hire a paralegal to help you, or you can go to the court and ask them to help you. Most courthouses have a Family Law Assistance Center. They will have people to advise you as to what forms you need and show you how to fill them out. If you live in Moreno Valley, you need to go to the Riverside County Family Court.
-- Famularo & Associates

A common problem in a divorce situation is finalizing the divorce. Oftentimes, people know how to file for divorce, but they do not know how to complete the process. It is a common misconception that the courts will automatically grant your divorce. This is simply not true. In order to complete a divorce, you must file papers at every stage of the proceeding. This article will give you a general idea as to how the process works.

First, one party must file for divorce. This person is called the Petitioner. The Petitioner must personally serve the other party, called the Respondent, with the divorce papers. The Petitioner must then wait 30 days to determine whether the Respondent files a document with the court (called a Response).

If the document is filed, the Petitioner must set the case for trial, and have the judge make final orders, called a divorce judgment. If the document is not filed, it is up to the Petitioner to move the case to judgment by filing a request for entry of default against the Respondent, and preparing a divorce judgment for the court to sign.

Obviously, this is a simplified version of the process. The point is that at every stage of a divorce proceeding, it is up to the parties to move the case to judgment.

Obviously, the divorce process becomes even more complicated when it involves issues of custody, visitation, child support, spousal support and division of property. If you are uncertain as to how to file for divorce, you should consult an experienced divorce lawyer and family law attorney to help you through the process. Obtaining a divorce is a lengthy and confusing process. Even if you intend to complete the process without the help of an attorney, you should still seek free legal advice to determine your rights and responsibilities, as well as to get a general understanding of the process.

If you live in the Temecula, Murrieta, Hemet or Riverside areas of Riverside County, California and have any questions about obtaining custody rights or if you need divorce information, please feel free to contact our office to set up an appointment with a family law lawyer at: (951) 816-9543.

For more information, please visit our web sites: Family Lawyer in Temecula, Family Law in Riverside County, Temecula Divorce Attorney