Volunteering With The Los Angeles Superior Divorce Court

One of my claim to fame is that I continue to volunteer at the Los Angeles Superior Court in the San Fernando Court House.  I have done this for going on two years now.

I do this because I feel it is important to keep up to date on all of what is happening with the divorce courts.  I work at the San Fernando Court house simply because it is closest to me, but I have been to most of the Los Angeles Superior Courts.

Currently, I help the family law department process their divorce judgments.  This includes reviewing divorce judgments submitted by those representing themselves and also those filed by attorneys.

I think it is an important civic duty to volunteer, but it also serves another purpose which is to continue to learn and better understand the divorce process.

I believe I am the only one in my field that actually has stepped foot into a court house.  Besides processing divorce judgements, I am able to have access to the judicial assistants and court staff to learn and ask questions.  I also assist the family law clerks office at the filing window when they are busy.

I am going to start reporting on the things I see and hear in the courts.  It will be interesting to share my experiences with those who are representing themselves on my blogs and podcasts.   The more information I can get out about the divorce process, the better prepared my clients, readers and listeners will be.

So stay tuned for regular updates about changes, updates and court procedures.  I will make sure to get the word out so that those going through divorce and representing themselves has access to up to date information about the divorce process.

As always, if you are looking for a professional, affordable divorce solution in Los Angeles County, make sure to give us a call.

How Long Does Divorce Take In California

As a licensed and bonded legal document preparation firm located in Santa Clarita, California, we are asked often how long the divorce process takes in California.

Most are not pleased to learn that the divorce process takes at a minimum of 6 months plus 1 day.  But when does the clock start ticking on this six month process and why does it take 6 months.

To answer the first question, the clock does not start ticking when you file the divorce papers as most people think.  The 6 month clock starts from the time you serve your spouse with the divorce papers.  Keep this in mind when you are planning to get divorced.  There may be reasons why you would want to file and get your spouse served for the sole purpose of starting the clock on the 6 months waiting period.

Now for the second question on why there is a six month waiting period. California calls it a cooling off period.  I think that speaks for itself.  The California divorce courts want there to be a period of time where they allow the married couples to reconcile their marriage.

But don’t think that the 6 months cooling off period will be what holds up your divorce.  In fact, it will probably take longer in many cases.  As of know the courts are so backlogged with divorce cases and reviewing judgments that is it taking them 2 months just to review your judgment paperwork.  And if your judgment is rejected, you just added on another 2 months, at least, before your divorce can be finalized.

There is a way around this, however.  There is nothing that says you cannot get all your divorce paperwork done in the first few months of the divorce process and submit your divorce paperwork early, prior to the 6 month cooling off period ending.

What we do when possible is get all the divorce paperwork done within the first 3 to 4 months and submit it to the court for review.  Knowing that it takes about 2 months before they will actually get to the judgment to review, we find that the courts will still sign off on the judgment, but will post date the effective date of the divorce to a date that is 6 months and one day after the original divorce petition was filed.

We are a divorce service that is headquartered in Santa Clarita, CA and serve all the courts in Los Angeles County.  We provide a 100% online divorce process

Licensed And Bonded Divorce Legal Service | Santa Clarita

I know I have commented on it before, but it is worth mentioning again.  When looking for an affordable divorce legal service to prepare your divorce paperwork, make sure that you are using a licensed and bonded legal document assistant firm.

Many times, when people call me, they indicate that they have spoke to a “paralegal” who says they can help them at a lower cost.

The first thing I make sure to advise them is that it is against the law for a “Paralegal” to perform any legal services directly to consumers.  The only work a Paralegal can do is work they do while employed by an attorney.  A Paralegal cannot legally have you as a client nor perform work outside of a law office.

There are many paralegals, referred to as “Rogue Paralegals” that operate illegally by doing side work.  They are operating outside the law by doing this.

There are many licensing requirements to become a licensed and bonded legal document preparation service.  First, you have to meet their educational requirements.  Second, you have to have meet their experience guidelines.  And finally, you have to be able to be bonded.

You can only assume that if a Paralegal is not licensed as a LDA then they must not meet one of the above requirements.  These requirements are there to ensure that you receive quality service from a reputable company.

The California Association of Legal Document Assistants (CALDA) reports that there are only 750 registered LDA’s in all of California.  The majority of which are in Los Angeles County, estimated at 600.

So when you are calling around, trying to find help to prepare your divorce paperwork, make sure you are using a licensed and bonded legal document assistant.

And remember.  You get what you pay for.  You certainly don’t want to cut corners when it comes to preparing your divorce paperwork.

For more information about our licensed and bonded divorce legal service, please give us a call.  We are located in Santa Clarita, CA and can help you all across Los Angeles County.

 

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.