Already Filed Divorce or Legal Separation Help in California

FL-180 is the Judgment form. It is part of the final paperwork, not the whole judgment package. Supporting forms, an agreement, attachments, service records, or disclosure steps may still need attention. Filing the first papers does not mean the court has approved the final orders. We offer package help for the accepted remaining work, not an isolated FL-180 service.

Yes, when the required work fits our services. Share the rejection notices and the papers that were returned. We can prepare or correct the accepted judgment documents and agreement at your direction. If your petition has already been amended, call before applying. Cases with an upcoming hearing are outside our intake scope. Consult a California family-law attorney about the hearing.

A Marital Settlement Agreement records the terms you and your spouse have decided. Depending on your case, it may address property, debts, spousal support, parenting arrangements, child support, and related responsibilities. Agreeing to divorce is different from agreeing on these terms. We prepare the accepted agreement from your written directions; we do not negotiate the terms or tell you which choices are best for you.

Agreement does not by itself remove disclosure duties. Required disclosures address what you own, owe, earn, and spend. Tell us which steps you have completed and what proof is on file. Preliminary disclosure documents are ordinarily exchanged between spouses rather than filed, while proof of service is filed. Other financial papers may need to be filed. We help with accepted paperwork at your direction; a California family-law attorney can advise about an exception or waiver.

Yes, if the case fits the selected service and none of the other intake exceptions applies. An original petition does not guarantee acceptance; the remaining work still matters. Tell us about any Response, existing orders, rejection notices, and incomplete steps.

Call us before applying so we can discuss service fit. This applies to an amended FL-100 or FL-700. Amendment requirements depend on the type and status of the case; a first amendment is not automatically free of court-permission or service requirements. We do not handle a hearing that may be needed.

Possibly, but not automatically. California has a five-year rule for bringing an action to trial. Family-law exceptions and extensions can apply, and a case does not become a completed divorce simply because time passes. Current support, custody, visitation, or qualifying restraining orders and certain prior proceedings can matter.

Contact us before applying and provide the current court record and any dismissal notice or order. If a dismissal deadline or legal exception needs evaluation, consult a California family-law attorney or court self-help center. Do not assume that the age of the case, by itself, means you must refile.

If your old case has been dismissed and you decide to start a new case, you can apply for Super Fast Divorce when its requirements fit, or Complete Divorce for broader accepted work. If you want advice about challenging the dismissal or whether a new case is appropriate, consult a California family-law attorney first. A new case can involve new filing costs, service steps, and a new applicable waiting period. We do not promise that the old case’s timeline carries over.

Past disagreement alone does not exclude you. Your current terms, existing orders, and remaining paperwork must fit the service. You must be self-represented, and there must be no upcoming hearing. If disagreements remain, those need to be addressed through appropriate legal advice or separate mediation before we prepare an agreed resolution.

We can review the case for agreed document work. Tell us whether a Response was filed and what terms you have settled. Both spouses must participate in the information, review, and signature steps required for that work. Willingness to sign alone does not establish a complete agreement.

No. Some straightforward true-default cases fit Super Fast or Complete. A true default is different from a default with a signed agreement. Service, the filed record, and the requested orders matter. Missing-spouse and publication work are considered only under Complete when accepted. Confidential Divorce requires both spouses’ participation and is unavailable for a nonparticipating true default.

An FL-700 joint petition starts the joint process; it does not finish the case. The applicable disclosures, full written agreement, judgment paperwork, and waiting period still matter. If you no longer agree or one spouse stops participating, legal guidance may be needed before further document work. Joint summary dissolution uses a different procedure, so tell us which papers you filed.

We accept self-represented clients. If you choose to end the attorney’s representation, the appropriate substitution or withdrawal must be completed and reflected in the court record before we accept your case. You handle the transition, fees, and records directly with your attorney. We do not contact or negotiate with attorneys on your behalf.

Yes. You may independently consult a California family-law attorney about our work product, your rights, or the terms you are considering. You communicate with that attorney directly and provide us with your own written directions. Our client is the applicant, and when both spouses engage together, both are clients under the signed agreement. Independent advice does not make Fast Divorce your legal representative.

No. Existing cases with upcoming hearings are outside our intake scope. We do not prepare for hearings, appear in court, or communicate with attorneys on your behalf. Contact a California family-law attorney about the hearing and any deadline. An application to Fast Divorce does not change the court’s schedule.

When courthouse access allows, we secure copies of the filed documents. Availability varies by court. If we cannot obtain them, we ask you to share the copies you have or obtain the missing records. After engagement, submit requested records through the Portal. You may also email documents with your callback number and a short explanation when asking about service fit. Any applicable court or outside copying charges are handled under the agreement; we do not promise free or universal record access.

The package covers the case work we accept, including understanding and addressing the existing paperwork and preparing what remains. Prior filing does not mean most of that work is complete. We charge the same package price as a new case and do not credit prior work. We do not add a separate rescue charge merely because you already filed.

The published payment plans are available under the service agreement. Your entire account balance must reach $0 before judgment paperwork is completed, finalized, or submitted. Review that requirement before choosing installments. The $995 Confidential upgrade, if selected with Complete, is due in full at engagement, including with the first installment.

No. It does not make your case private, confidential, or sealed or remove existing court records. It is an optional Complete Divorce document-preparation upgrade. The additional agreement work requires both spouses’ participation, your written directions, and our acceptance of the scope. Court filing and disclosure requirements continue to apply.

Elapsed time alone is not proof that your divorce is final. Required court approval and the date your marital status ends still matter. Check your filed judgment and Notice of Entry of Judgment. A judgment can specify a future marriage-end date. The waiting-period trigger also differs between an ordinary petition and an FL-700 joint petition.

No. We handle the accepted document and administrative work. The court controls its review, required corrections, approval, and timing. Your information, signatures, payment status, and remaining case requirements also affect progress.