Your Personal Decision to Divorce

Determination of the process to follow, Traditional, Mediation, or Collaborative

You work with your attorney and team to file for divorce

Start discussion for amicable settlement.

Discussion between attorneys on areas of agreements/disagreements

Prepare questionnaires, interrogatories and depositions

A forensic accountant, CPA or Appraiser to evaluate community property

Each party files a financial disclosure form under penalty of perjury

Formal or Informal requests for spousal support/child support; visitations, custody and other needs

Each party files its Final Financial Disclosures forms.

The parties decide that they would like to settle instead of going to trial and incurring more attorneys' fees

The parties settle. No one gets exactly what they want but everyone wins!

The parties request a trial date.

The attorneys participate in a trial setting conference

Mandatory Settlement Conference ordered by the court.

The parties settle. No one gets exactly what they expect, but everyone wins!

Attorneys report to the court that there is no settlement. The Judge sets a trial date

The Orange County Family Law Court System is overwhelmed by pending cases and/or the attorneys have court appearances conflicts on specific dates

Attorneys require so many days for this trial

Parties settle before the start of trial, during the trial, or after the trial and before the court judgement.

The court makes a judgment based on the evidence presented by the attorneys, the witnesses and the experts.