What Happens After Filing for Divorce in San Bernardino?

Hi, I’m Tim Blankenship with Divorce661. If you’ve already filed for divorce in San Bernardino County, you might think the court takes over and handles everything from there. That’s a common misconception. Filing is only the first step. Below I’ll walk you through exactly what happens next, what you must do, and how to keep your case moving forward quickly and correctly.

Filing for divorce in San Bernardino County is just the first step.

Quick overview: The post-filing roadmap

• Serve your spouse with the divorce papers (by mail or personal service).
• Official six-month waiting period begins once service is completed.
• Both parties prepare and exchange mandatory financial disclosures.
• Negotiate and sign a Marital Settlement Agreement that addresses property, support, custody, etc.
• Submit final judgment paperwork to the court electronically for approval — often without court appearances.

1. Serving the divorce papers

After you file, your spouse must be properly served. There are two common methods:

• Service by mail with a Notice of Acknowledgement and Receipt: This works when the other spouse is cooperative and signedly acknowledges receipt.
• Personal service: If they won’t cooperate, someone over 18 who is not you must personally serve the papers.

Service is crucial because the official timelines — including California’s mandatory waiting period — start only after service is completed.

2. California’s mandatory six-month waiting period

California requires a minimum six-month waiting period before a divorce can be finalized. It’s important to understand:

• The six months begins when service is completed, not when you file.
• This is the absolute earliest your divorce can be finalized, even if all paperwork is finished sooner.

3. Mandatory financial disclosures — what you must exchange

No matter how amicable the case, both spouses must complete and exchange financial disclosures. These are required in every divorce in California.

The two primary documents are:

• Schedule of Assets and Debts: A complete list of property, bank accounts, retirement accounts, debts, and other financial interests.
• Income and Expense Declaration: Your current income, monthly expenses, and relevant income details for support calculations.

These disclosures promote fairness and transparency. Failing to provide them can delay your case or result in enforcement issues later.

4. Drafting and signing a Marital Settlement Agreement

Once disclosures are exchanged, you can document the agreed terms in a Marital Settlement Agreement. This agreement should cover:

• Division of community and separate property
• Spousal support (if any)
• Child custody, visitation, and child support
• Debt allocation
• Any other arrangements you want to be legally binding

A clear, well-drafted agreement helps you avoid future disputes and is the basis for the final judgment submitted to the court.

5. Submitting the final judgment and court approval

After the agreement is signed and the required waiting period has passed, the final judgment paperwork is submitted to the court. In many uncontested cases, the paperwork can be submitted electronically and approved without either party appearing in court.

That means you can complete your divorce efficiently, but only if every step — especially disclosures and paperwork — is done correctly.

Real client example: How a stalled case was finished

We recently worked with a San Bernardino couple who filed months earlier and thought the court would handle everything automatically. Their case stalled because required disclosures and follow-up steps weren’t completed.

We stepped in, completed the disclosures, drafted the Marital Settlement Agreement, and submitted the final judgment. The judgment was approved without any court appearances. Their case, which had been sitting for months, was finalized quickly and correctly.

How Divorce661 can help

At Divorce661 we manage every step after filing so nothing gets missed. Our services include:

• Flat-fee divorce services — affordable and predictable pricing
• Handling filing, service coordination, disclosures, and judgment preparation
• 100% remote services across California
• San Bernardino divorce expertise to keep your case moving

Next steps: If you’ve already filed

If you filed for divorce in San Bernardino but aren’t sure what to do next, don’t let your case stall. Here’s a simple checklist to move forward:

1. Confirm whether your spouse has been properly served.
2. Start preparing your Schedule of Assets and Debts and Income and Expense Declaration.
3. Discuss terms and begin drafting a Marital Settlement Agreement if you’re on agreeable terms.
4. Plan to submit final judgment paperwork after the six-month waiting period.

For a free consultation and help moving your case forward quickly and correctly, visit Divorce661.com. We’ll review your situation and outline the next steps so nothing gets missed.

Questions?

Did you know filing is only the first step? If anything about the process seems confusing, reach out. I’m here to help guide you through every step after filing so your divorce finishes smoothly.