Divorce For Less In Santa Clarita

Did you know that if you walk into a divorce attorney’s office for a divorce that you will have to pay at least $5,000 just to get started?  This does not matter if your divorce will be contested or uncontested.

The reason behind this initial deposit amount, also known as a retainer, is just to give the law firm something to start with to get you going.  This is not the total amount of your divorce, this is just to get started!

There is really no reason to use a divorce attorney for your divorce unless you know you are going to trial.  The Courts and other attorneys have written articles that indicate that hiring an attorney will only complicate the divorce process resulting in an uncontested case turning into a contested one.

There is a better way to get through the divorce process.  It is by using our legal document preparation service.  We specialize in the divorce process and can complete your divorce for one affordable flat fee.

Our clients have been thrilled with our affordable divorce service.  Most have come to us after spending thousands of dollars on attorneys and becoming frustrated with the process where they feel the attorneys are acting on their own behalf rather than for them.

That does not happen with us, because we are a neutral third party whose only objective is to get the paperwork done.  It does us no good to “stir the pot” as it only makes our job more difficult.  We are not here to give you legal advice, thus can help both spouses complete the divorce paperwork.

If you are looking for a better option to get divorced than hiring an expensive law firm, give us a call.  We would be happy to discuss how our divorce service works and talk to you about your specific issues.

Online Divorce Service In Santa Clarita

I talk frequently about the fact that my divorce service in Santa Clarita is done completely online.  I do this mostly to inform the public that they can get through the divorce process with my service, never having to come to my office.   This is a good thing, because I don’t have an office.

When I started this business, I committed myself to providing an affordable legal divorce service.  To do this means that I needed to find a way to keep my costs down.  There was just no other way to provide an affordable divorce service and have to pay $1,000’s a month in office rent.  To me, that is like throwing money out the window.

Now, I know there are folks out there that will never come around to the whole virtual thing.  Some people are fixated on the “brick and mortar” fixed office.

I will tell you what though, ever time I am tempted to lease an office, I just have to look at all the available office space, offices that have closed and shops that have went out of business to remind me that this is not the best idea.  Leasing and office would mean I would have to raise my prices just to keep my office paid for.

Being virtual has it drawbacks.  I am sure there are people who are wary about working with me because they can’t park their car in front of a building.  But I have come to terms with losing those clients who need a brick and mortar business.

100% of my marketing is done online, by me, through my multiple blogs.  I don’t do any offline, print or paid advertising.  So I figure that if you found me online, you are apt enough to understand technology and the benefits of a company to provide a virtual service.

For those customers I may lose due to my online divorce solution, I am able to grab business much further out than I would with a fixed facility.  In fact, I have helped clients as far away as San Diego to complete their divorce.

I believe in the long run, my decision to remain an online “virtual” divorce solution in Santa Clarita will prove to be a more sustainable model.

Additionally, as time passes and our culture becomes more and more accepting of virtual offices, I will most likely be leading the way.  At least as it pertains to divorce and the legal industry.

Please give us a call for more information about our affordable online “virtual” divorce service.  We are headquartered in Santa Clarita and serve all of the Courts in Los Angeles.

Uncontested Divorce vs Contested Divorce

When it comes to divorce, I think there is some some confusion about the difference between what an uncontested divorce and a contested divorce is in California.

You see. legal document preparation firms like us specialize in uncontested divorce cases.  Uncontested divorce cases make up approximately 80% of all divorce cases that go through the California divorce courts.

We specialize in the divorce process and can help these 80% of divorcing spouses that have an uncontested divorce.

So what is the difference between an uncontested divorce and contested divorce?

Uncontested Divorce

An uncontested divorce simply means that you did not have to appear in front of a judge to get orders made as it pertains to your divorce.  This means, you did not have to go to trial.

You can still have disagreements about the terms of the divorce and still be uncontested.  You can even go to the mediators office and the facilitators office and still have an uncontested divorce.  In fact, even if you file a motion and have a judge make temporary orders for things such as spousal support, child support or any other kind of orders, you still have an uncontested divorce.  Learn more about the basics of an uncontested divorce.

Contested Divorce 

Just because you have an attorney, does not mean your divorce is a contested case.  Contested simply means “Contest”. A contested divorce means that you went to trial.  It means that you showed up, the attorneys made arguments and a judge had to make the final decision about the terms of your divorce.

Everything else is an uncontested divorce case and you would prepare an uncontested divorce judgement.

I hope this clears up the difference between an uncontested divorce case and a contested one.  Remember that we area licensed and bonded legal document preparation service that specializes only on divorce.  Please give us a call to help you with your divorce at a price you can afford.

We are located in Santa Clarita, California and serve all the Courts in Los Angeles County.

What Are The Basics Of An Uncontested Divorce In Santa Clarita

The term uncontested divorce can have several meanings depending on how it is used.  Generally, if you have to go to court to have a judge make decisions about your divorce, it is considered a contested divorce.  So any thing other than going to court could be considered uncontested using this definition.

An uncontested divorce does not mean that you agree to all the terms of your divorce.  It just means that you and your spouse are going to determine the terms of your divorce.  Even if you have an attorney or go to mediation, you still are considered to have an uncontested divorce.

In this video we discuss a bit more about the forms related to filing an uncontested divorce judgment.

Getting divorced is generally about completing all the paperwork and making decisions about the terms of your divorce.  Legal advice may be necessary so the parties are informed of their legal rights so they can make informed decisions.

Uncontested divorces make up a large percentage of the cases that go through the court system.

When you file an uncontested divorce case in California, there will be three basic steps.

First, is to file the initial divorce papers to get the case started and a case number issued.  These initial divorce papers are then served on the other party.  Then, in most cases, both spouses will have to prepare and serve their financial disclosures.

Second, is to sit down with your spouse and determine how you are going to split up your assets, debts and property among you.  You will also come to an agreement on any other terms to the divorce such as child support, spousal support.

Lastly, you will need to complete and file the final divorce papers, known as the judgment paperwork.  Once it has been reviewed by a judge the divorce will become official once he or she signs off on it.

Going through the divorce process in this matter is generally how you can expect to get through your divorce.  It does not really work if you try to do things out of order.  Not to mention, the court requires you to take certain steps in a particular order.

If you would like to have your uncontested divorce paperwork completed professionally, please give us a call so we can discuss the particulars of your case.

 

How To Divorce Without Spouse Agreement | Santa Clarita

I had just prepare the below video and had uploaded it to YouTube when I received a call asking the exact same question I has just answered on video.  The question, or should I say it was more of a statement was ” My spouse said she is not going to fill anything out and won’t give me a divorce”.

Watch the below video for how you can handle this type of divorce scenario.

As stated in the video, the Court’s have a process where you can get through the divorce process even if your spouse is not going to cooperate or participate in the divorce.  There is nothing that your spouse can do to prevent you from getting a divorce and you don’t need their agreement either.

The Courts have a process known as a default.  The default means that the other party did not prepare a response in the allotted time and you are moving forward with the divorce case.  There are certain forms you need to prepare when filing a default judgement which vary slightly from other types of divorce judgments.

What you should take from this is that whether or not your spouse want’s to “give” you a divorce is not up to them.  It only takes one to file for divorce.

Default judgments happen often and are sometimes used intentionally to save on the costs of filing a Response to the divorce.  For instance you can file a Hybrid Divorce Judgment wherein on party does not respond, but you can still enter into an agreement.

How you proceed in your divorce will ultimately depend upon what the other party does.

For more information about the divorce process or to learn more about our affordable divorce document preparation service, please give us a call.

Is California A No-Fault Divorce State | Santa Clarita

Many times when people call to inquire about our divorce service, they are inclined to let us know the reasons behind their wanting to get divorce.  And we understand, folks want to tell their story, and we are genuinely interested.

Other folks tell us then ask if they will have any advantage by not being the one who “caused” them to want to divorce or who was “at fault” for causing the divorce.

California is known as a no-fault state.  This means that it does not matter the reason for the divorce.  Previously when you had to show fault for getting a divorce, one party would have to take the blame even if there truly was no fault.  So they would have to conjure up some reason so they could get divorced, even when they were in complete agreement about getting divorce in an uncontested manner.

Some of the reasons for an At Fault divorce that would justify legal blame for an at-fault divorce were:

1. Adultery
2. Abuse
3. Abandonment
4. Extreme Cruelty to spouse
5. Inability to engage in sexual intercourse that was not disclosed before the marriage

So what took the place of the at fault divorce?  The word is Irreconcilable Differences.  What do you have to prove with Irreconcilable differences?  Essentially that there is an irremediable breakdown of the relationship.

What is interesting is that other than checking the “irreconcilable differences” box on the divorce paperwork, there is nothing you have to prove to substantiate that.  So really, you don’t even have to show any proof of a irremediable breakdown.  Simply checking the box is enough to file for divorce in California.

We are a licensed and bonded legal document preparation service that specializes in the divorce process.  For more information about our affordable divorce service, please give us a call.

 How To Start A Divorce In Santa Clarita

There are two parties to a divorce.  The person who initially files for divorce to get the case started is called the Petitioner.  The other party who is served the divorce papers is called the Respondent.  Watch our video on how to prepare the divorce petition.

Note that the party names are different in a family law matter than a typical lawsuit.  In traditional lawsuits, the parties are referred to as Plaintiff and Defendant.

The Courts do not give any preference to one party or the other.  The Respondent has just as many rights and legal standing and either party can avail themselves of any legal steps.

When you want to file for divorce, the Petitioner will need to prepare the appropriate divorce documents and file them with the court.  Then you need to serve the petition on your spouse.  Filing of the initial paperwork notifies the court and other party of your desire to get divorced.

When you serve the Petition to divorce, a couple of important things happen.

First, the service of the divorce petition starts the clock on the 6 month waiting period in California.  Second, the petition helps to determine a date of separation.  Third is that automatic retraining orders take effect upon service of the Petition, (known as ATRO’s).

Of course, there is always the downsides of serving the divorce papers.  There is always going to be some upset upon being served with divorce papers.  It is important that you try to soften the blow by advising your spouse that there are some divorce papers they can expect.  There are also some alternative methods of serving your spouse that are less stressful which can be used instead of hiring a process server.

We are a licensed and bonded legal document preparation firms that specializes in the divorce process.  Please give us a call for more information about our services.

Santa Clarita Divorce | Consult But Don’t Retain A Lawyer

As a proponent of doing your own divorce, I am always glad to find someone who shares my thoughts on the issues of divorce.  To do your own divorce means to NOT retain an attorney.

There are a few reasons to retain a divorce attorney.  Simply because you are getting divorced is not reason enough to retain an attorney

What does it mean to “retain” an attorney?  When you retain an attorney, you are giving that attorney to act on your behalf.  Because the legal system is an adversary system, getting an attorney involved almost always causes more trouble and raises the level of  conflict in the divorce.

So what we argue is that you do not need to retain a lawyer, but use them on a consultative basis when you have questions about your legal rights during the divorce process.  You can continue to meet with and consult divorce attorneys without having to retain them.

Divorce attorneys do not want you to know this.  They want you to retain them so they can rack up the fees and charge you for every step of the way.

When you use an attorney on a consultation basis, you maintain control of what happens during the divorce process and can ensure that it does not go off the rails.

There are two ways you can view attorneys and how they work.  First, you have to understand that when you hire them, they are going to do whatever it takes to win and represent your best interest.  They have to, otherwise risk a possible malpractice suit which means sometimes doing things in their best interest and not yours.

But on the other end, doesn’t this seem a little convenient?  I mean, to represent your best interest, they have to act in a way that can complicate your case and make it worse instead of better.  The more trouble you have, the more money the attorney makes.

Do you think this is an incentive for them to keep things simple?

We are a licensed and bonded legal document preparation service that specializes in the divorce process.  We are a neutral third party who’s only purpose is to get your through the divorce process.  Please give us a call for more information about our services.

 

Attorney’s Say Do Your Own Divorce | Santa Clarita Divorce

I do a lot of reading about divorce, especially the self help divorce books, books about marriage and the like in order to better understand the process and keep up to date with changing laws, etc.

I also read these books for fodder for my blog articles, such as this one.

That said, every book I read is typically written by a lawyer.  And what I find in these self help divorce type books is that every one of them says that you should do your own divorce and not use an attorney.

The current book I am reading on page 1, chapter one starts off with the heading, “Can you do your own divorce?  Should You?”  Followed by bold capital letters, “YES!  YOU CAN!”

As a legal document preparation firm that specializes in divorce, I find it a bit of fresh air that there are attorneys out there that realize that they are unnecessary in the divorce process in most cases.

It is true that over 60% of California divorces are now done without either side being represented by an attorney.  This saves California divorcing families between 500 million and a billion dollars every year in unnecessary legal fees.

In fact, this book encourages you to do your own divorce.  Reasons given to do your own divorce are that by taking charge of your own divorce case will lead to a smoother, faster, less painful and less expensive divorce experience.

Here is a quote right from the book:

Most people would be better off if they reduced or eliminated their use of attorneys, because the legal process and the way attorneys work in it tends to cause trouble, raise the level of conflict, and greatly increase your expense. (“How to do your own divorce in California” NOLO Press)

There are attorneys out there that are willing to put it in writing that you can and should do your own divorce.  And when you do decided to do your own divorce, you should make sure to use the professional services of a licensed and bonded legal document preparation service like us to make sure you get your divorce documents done correctly so you can move on with your life.

Please give us a call for more information about our divorce self help services.