Divorce Paperwork Assistance

This service is not mediation since the couple will not be meeting with a neutral mediator to assist them in negotiating ther terms of their agreement.

Of course, if there are questions along the way, or you need help understanding the law around a topic, we’re here to help answer those so you both can make informed decisions. 

If it turns out that at some point in the process that mediation help is needed, then we can shift into that option at anytime.

We encourage couples that are unsure if they can work out the terms on their own from the start to opt for the Mediation service at the beginning. 

Spouses that are successful doing their own divorce are almost always in agreement, thus they are doing an “uncontested divorce”.

In an uncontested divorce, the spouses agree on everything and do not need the court to divide assets or make determinations about spousal or child support or custody.

In general, an uncontested divorce will proceed through the system more quickly, be much less complicated, and less of a financial burden.

This depends a great deal on the participants, and particularly how soon their questionnaire information can be provided to the us, and how quickly the participants can work out an agreement.

Sometimes this happens very quickly and the final judgment paperwork can be submitted to the court as early as 30 days after opening the case with the court.

Other times, the participants need more time to reflect on what works best for them, or several mediation sessions are needed to work out more complex situations.

For “Paperwork only” divorces, the turn around time for your draft paperwork is typically 1 week after we receive your questionnaires.  For “Mediation” divorces we can usually schedule the initial 2 hour mediation session as early as 1 week from receipt of questionnaires.

Every case is different, but on average, “Paperwork only” divorce judgments are typically submitted within 1-3 months, and “Mediation” divorce judgments are submitted within 3-5 months.

Once an agreement is reached and a final judgment is signed and submitted to the court, the court typically takes 1-3 months to process the paperwork.

*Note that in California, the court cannot terminate the marital status of a couple until after 6 months from the time the case is opened with the court and the Respondent is “served”.

This doesn’t mean that the you have to wait 6 months to submit the judgment paperwork, it just means that the official date that the you are divorced cannot be until after 6 months.

No, it is not required when working with us, but parties do have the option and may choose to obtain legal, financial, and other professional advice at any time during the process.

We consider mediation to be an more economical process of dissolution, since both parties often share the expense of one mediator, and if needed, one or both parties may retain consulting attorneys for review or advice on a limited basis.

However, keep in mind that hiring an attorney to represent you can be very expensive, particularly if they are not settlement-oriented.

If you do choose to hire an attorney, it’s typically much more cost-effective to utilize them as a consultant who will provide you with personal legal advice, as opposed to having them represent you and “take your case” out of your control.

Court Filing Fees: Our flat fees do not include the court filing fees, paid directly to the court. Initial Pleading filing fees are $435 – $450 depending on county, plus electronic filing fees, which may range from $13-$25 depending on county.

Court Appearance Fees: Depending on your county, the court may automatically schedule status conferences when a case is opened. These hearings can usually be avoided or continued. The flat fee does include a continuance or appearance for the first status conference. For additional appearances, we charge a flat fee of $450 per court appearance.

QDRO Drafting & Filing Fees: If your settlement agreement requires the division of a retirement account, your plan may require a Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO). We offer QDRO preparation and filing for existing clients for flat fee of $720, or $900 if a Joinder is also required. QDRO court filing fees are typically $20 per QDRO (some courts charge more), paid directly to the court.

If it turns out that at some point in the process that mediation help is needed, then we can shift into the “Divorce Mediation” option at anytime.  The additional payment of $1200 would include up to 4 hours of mediation time.

Contact us to schedule a free 20-30 minute consultation call with attorney/mediator Michael Cotugno to discuss your situation, answer your questions, and discuss your options.

We encourage couples to be on the call together, but can schedule individual calls if preferred.  We can also provide a conference call number to dial in if you both will be calling in from different locations.

For “Mediated” divorces, Michael does request speaking with both parties (together or separately) to ensure an understanding of the mediation process before proceeding.

Once you decide you’d like to move forward, we send you a fee agreement for signature, an invoice link, and initial questionnaire to complete.

After those are received, we send you a series of questionnaires that assist us in collecting information needed to draft the paperwork or prepare for the mediation session.