How Quickly Can I Become Divorced in California?

California has a six-month “cooling-off” period prior to entry of a judgment in a marital dissolution case, meaning that a judgment terminating the marriage cannot be entered until at least 6 months after the date the other spouse was served with the petition for marital dissolution has passed. However, nothing happens automatically when the 6 month time period is reached, and the court does not automatically terminate the marriage after 6 months. Entry of a judgment requires either a formal Marital Settlement Agreement be entered into by the parties as part of a judgment package filed with the court, or otherwise by court orders made at trial.

For more information or to schedule a consultation, contact Orange County divorce attorney Gerald Maggio of The Maggio Law Firm, by visiting www.maggiolawfirm.com or calling (949) 553-0304.

Gerald A. Maggio is an experienced Orange County divorce and family law lawyer and family law attorney located in Irvine, California, serving the Orange County and Riverside areas. Mr. Maggio assists clients with legal issues including divorce, legal separation, divorce mediation, child custody, prenuptial agreements, stepparent adoptions, and other family law issues. Mr. Maggio has practiced law in California since 1999, and founded The Maggio Law Firm in 2005, focusing exclusively on divorce and family law matters.