In California, there are a number of legal requirements, processes, and paperwork that must be completed before a spouse can file for divorce. And, without experienced legal representation, there are many issues that may "go wrong" after the divorce.
First of all, there are residency requirements for filing for divorce. You must have resided in California for the previous 6 months' time and in the county in which you file (at the superior court) for the previous 3 months. However, you can sometimes get an exception and file in the county to which you moved after separating from your spouse.
You also must serve your spouse notice and give him/her a chance to respond (either contest or forego to contest the divorce petition and/or its stated grounds.) And there will typically be a six-month wait period before the divorce can be finalized.
However, a summary divorce that takes effect immediately can sometimes be done, provided certain requirements exist such as being married for 5 years or less, that there are no children involved, and that there are no major debts or real estate property to deal with.
