Semi Contested Divorce Process

Divorce Attorneys in Orange County, CA

While every case is different and may therefore involve a dramatically different timeline, the following is a basic overview of the semi-contested divorce process. In addition to reviewing this information, we welcome you to contact our divorce lawyers at for a complimentary 30-minute consultation.

Let’s take a look at a typical semi-contested divorce in California:

• Personal service of the divorce Petition and Summons, which may take anywhere from 1 to 3 weeks, if the party cannot be easily located and served.
• Filing a Response, which has a 30-day deadline.
• Formal or informal requests for custody, support, or other temporary orders, which may take 60 to 90 days.
• The exchange of Preliminary Declarations of Disclosure (financial disclosure), which has a 60-day deadline.
• If needed, business valuation, forensic accounting, custody evaluation, and other services to create and issue final reports on complex issues, which may take about 30 days.
• Discovery, which may take up to 90 days or longer in a contested divorce, but parties have 30 to 35 days to respond to each separate discovery request.
• Settlement discussions may be initiated at any stage of a case, or a Mandatory Settlement Conference may be mandated by the Court. This often occurs within 5 to 6 months of filing.
• If the divorce is not settled, Final Declarations of Disclosure, with complete documentation, are required 45 days prior to trial.
• The final hearing, or trial, is the final stage of a divorce. Court scheduling will come into play, and the length of the trial will depend on the issues at hand, the cases and evidence presented, and various other factors. Many divorce trials take about a day, but others can last weeks or even longer.

No two divorces are identical, and as such it is impossible to say how long yours will take or exactly what may be involved. We can say with confidence, however, that if you work with Moshtael Family Law, we will spare no effort in protecting your interests through your contested or uncontested divorce. Our divorce attorneys are highly experienced with proven results in and out of the courtroom.