Start Divorce (Dissolution), Legal Separation Or Nullity Form printable pdf download

Superior Court of California, County of Contra Costa

START DIVORCE (DISSOLUTION),

LEGAL SEPARATION

OR NULLITY

General Information

You or the other party must have lived in the State of California for 6 months and in the

County of Contra Costa for 3 months if you want to file for divorce in Contra Costa County.

Your divorce cannot be final until 6 months and 1 day from the date that the divorce

papers were served on the Respondent.

Please check the court website, , for information about

where your case will be heard. You will file your documents in either in Martinez or

Pittsburg, depending on where your case will be heard.

The divorce process can be confusing and overwhelming. The information below is

designed to help you understand the basic steps you will need to take to successfully

complete the process. If you have complicated issues of property, support, custody,

pensions or other questions about your rights and responsibilities, you may want to

consult an attorney outside the court. Court staff, including Family Law Facilitators, can

provide procedural assistance; they cannot give legal advice. Check the court website at

for information about attorney referral services.

You can attend a “Start Your Divorce” workshop if you need help with these forms. The

workshop flyer is enclosed in this packet. You can also find information about the divorce,

legal separation and nullity process at the Virtual Self-Help Law Center at the court

website,

There is a filing fee to file your divorce, legal separation or nullity case. If you can’t afford

to pay the court filing fee, you may qualify for a waiver of court filing fees. Ask the Forms

clerk for the “Fee Waiver” packet or download a “Fee Waiver” packet from the court’s

website,

Use the Divorce/Legal Separation/Nullity checklist included in this packet to keep track of

the documents that you have filed.

This packet contains the forms to open your case, serve those documents and complete

the Preliminary Declaration of Disclosure.

The last step in the divorce or legal separation process is to prepare a Judgment. You can

purchase the “Final Judgment” packet or download the packet from the court’s website,

You can also come to the Help Desk in the Family Law Center

at 751 Pine Street, Martinez, CA and sign up for a “Finish Your Divorce” workshop. You

must have filed your Proof of Service of Summons and the Declaration Regarding Service

of Declaration of Disclosure before you can be given a workshop appointment.

REMEMBER – the Court will not automatically divorce you. You have to submit all of the forms

to the Court to finish your case.

Family Law – Info / Instructions

FamLaw-001a Rev. 8/22/11

Start Divorce (Dissolution), Legal Separation Or Nullity Form