We help you end a California marriage cleanly — property, debt, spousal support, the final judgment. A licensed attorney checks every step. Lawma’s guided intake is free; the licensed attorney you choose quotes a flat fee before any work starts.
What's really going on
Even without children in the mix, a divorce is rarely just paperwork. There's a house, a lease, a car, the joint credit card. There's a retirement account, sometimes a small business, sometimes a debt one of you doesn't want. And there's the question of whether one spouse will need support, for how long, and how much.
The goal is the same as it ever was: leave with what's fairly yours, and step into the next thing without a legal mess trailing behind you.
What we help with
California is a community-property state — what you built together during the marriage is generally split equally. Lawma turns that principle into a real, fair division.
Property & debt
What's shared and what's separate — the house, the cars, retirement accounts, business interests, credit cards and loans. We help you list it, value it, and divide it.
Spousal support
Whether one spouse needs support, how much, and for how long — guided by California's factors (length of marriage, earning capacity, standard of living). Temporary now, long-term later.
The final judgment
The court order that ends the marriage and locks in the agreements. We assemble it, your attorney approves it, the court signs it.
Note — the central California forms for a divorce without children are the FL-100 petition, the FL-110 summons, the FL-142 / FL-150 financial disclosures, and the FL-180 judgment. We fill them deterministically from your answers; an attorney reviews every page.
The process
How pricing works
Your lawyer charges a pre-negotiated flat fee — typically $200 to $3,500, depending on complexity. A divorce without minor children typically falls in the middle of that range. That single fee covers your attorney's work AND everything Lawma does: the AI-guided interview, the drafting, your case management, and the community.
For comparison, a contested divorce handled by a California family law firm typically runs $3,500 to $8,000 in attorney fees alone.
If you qualify for legal aid, your fee is waived. Permanently.That's a Lawma commitment.
Traditional-attorney fee ranges are market estimates from industry surveys; specific quotes vary by attorney, jurisdiction, and matter complexity.
California still charges its own court filing fees (about $435 for the petition). If your income qualifies, you can ask for a fee waiver — we help you file it.
Questions people ask
How long will it take?
California has a strict six-month minimum from the day your spouse is served. Simple, agreed-upon divorces wrap close to that line; complicated ones can stretch a year or more.
Do we both have to want the divorce?
No. California is a no-fault state — you can ask for a divorce on your own and your spouse cannot stop it. We'll guide you whichever side of that you're on.
What if we mostly agree on everything?
Then consider our uncontested divorcepath — it's the same supervised process, designed for couples who've already worked out the basics.
What about a short marriage with nothing shared?
California offers a simpler track called summary dissolution for marriages under five years with little property and no children. Your attorney will tell you if you qualify.
Beyond the legal piece, divorce touches a lot of services. These vetted partners can help. Lawma earns a small fee when you use one — and you start the request right here on Lawma, so your details never go to a third-party form.
Process servers
Swift Serve
Same-day service on most family-court papers, with a certified Proof of Service handed back to your attorney.
Family mediators
Anchor Mediation
Trained family-law mediators help you reach an agreement before court, on custody, support, and property — far cheaper than fighting it out.
Mental health
Warmlight Therapy
Vetted, licensed therapists with sliding-scale rates. Telehealth and in-person. Covers divorce, separation, parenting transitions, and trauma support.
Real estate
Harbor Realty
Agents trained in divorce, downsizing, and tight-timeline sales. Honest valuations, no high-pressure listings, will work with your attorney.
Intake happens on Lawma — you never hand your details to a third-party form. Lawma earns a small referral fee when you connect with a partner; we only list services that meet our review bar, and we never run ads on your case file.
A simple conversation to start. No commitment. No cost.
