California Divorce Laws & How To File 2024 Guide

Chauncey grew up on a farm in rural northern California. At 18 he ran away and saw the world with a backpack and a credit card, discovering that the true value of any point or mile is the experience it facilitates. He remains most at home on a tracto.

Chauncey Crail Contributor

Chauncey grew up on a farm in rural northern California. At 18 he ran away and saw the world with a backpack and a credit card, discovering that the true value of any point or mile is the experience it facilitates. He remains most at home on a tracto.

Written By Chauncey Crail Contributor

Chauncey grew up on a farm in rural northern California. At 18 he ran away and saw the world with a backpack and a credit card, discovering that the true value of any point or mile is the experience it facilitates. He remains most at home on a tracto.

Chauncey Crail Contributor

Chauncey grew up on a farm in rural northern California. At 18 he ran away and saw the world with a backpack and a credit card, discovering that the true value of any point or mile is the experience it facilitates. He remains most at home on a tracto.

Contributor Mike Cetera Editor in Chief, Forbes Marketplace U.S.

Mike Cetera is the editor in chief for Forbes Marketplace U.S. Mike has written and edited articles about mortgages, savings accounts, CD rates and credit cards for more than a decade. Prior to joining Marketplace, his work appeared on Bankrate, The.

Mike Cetera Editor in Chief, Forbes Marketplace U.S.

Mike Cetera is the editor in chief for Forbes Marketplace U.S. Mike has written and edited articles about mortgages, savings accounts, CD rates and credit cards for more than a decade. Prior to joining Marketplace, his work appeared on Bankrate, The.

Mike Cetera Editor in Chief, Forbes Marketplace U.S.

Mike Cetera is the editor in chief for Forbes Marketplace U.S. Mike has written and edited articles about mortgages, savings accounts, CD rates and credit cards for more than a decade. Prior to joining Marketplace, his work appeared on Bankrate, The.

Mike Cetera Editor in Chief, Forbes Marketplace U.S.

Mike Cetera is the editor in chief for Forbes Marketplace U.S. Mike has written and edited articles about mortgages, savings accounts, CD rates and credit cards for more than a decade. Prior to joining Marketplace, his work appeared on Bankrate, The.

| Editor in Chief, Forbes Marketplace U.S.

Updated: May 10, 2023, 2:55pm

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California Divorce Laws & How To File 2024 Guide

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Table of Contents

Divorce in California is called dissolution of marriage. Though commonalities exist among states, divorce law differs state to state. Divorce can be incredibly challenging, but with the right guidance and understanding of the law you can make informed decisions. Read our guide to learn more about dissolution laws and how to file for divorce in California.

Grounds for Divorce in California

Divorce in the United States was at one time usually possible by proving a specific “fault” of one spouse—such as adultery or cruelty. California’s Family Law Act of 1969 made the state the first in the nation to allow no-fault divorce, divorce without proof of any fault. No-fault divorces have since been adopted by every other state and are now the most common type of divorce in the U.S., revolutionizing American family law.

Most dissolutions of marriage in California are no-fault, based on irreconcilable differences based on an irremediable breakdown of the marriage and requires no evidence nor any assignment of guilt. The only other grounds for dissolution is if one spouse has the permanent legal incapacity to make decisions, which is determined in court by expert medical or psychiatric testimony.

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Chauncey grew up on a farm in rural northern California. At 18 he ran away and saw the world with a backpack and a credit card, discovering that the true value of any point or mile is the experience it facilitates. He remains most at home on a tractor, but has learned that opportunity is where he finds it and discomfort is more interesting than complacency.

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