New Joint Petition for Dissolution or Legal Separation Provides Streamlined Legal Process for Parties Seeking Amicable Divorce, Saving Time Through a Collaborative Process
Starting Jan. 1, 2026, in accordance with Senate Bill 1427 (Chapter 190 of the Statutes of 2024), the Superior Court of Los Angeles County will offer a new legal pathway that simplifies the divorce process for California couples seeking an amicable dissolution of their marriage or domestic partnership instead of following the traditional adversarial process associated with most divorces and legal separations. Designed to streamline the legal process through a collaborative process, the new Joint Petition for Dissolution or Legal Separation provides a pathway for parties who agree on all issues to initiate their case in a collaborative manner.
Parties may qualify for a Joint Petition for Dissolution or Legal Separation if they:
- Fully agree on all issues, including property, support and child-related matters.
- Want to file jointly.
- Do not qualify for a Petition for Summary Dissolution* due to time married, children or assets.
- *Parties may only qualify for the Petition for Summary Dissolution if they have been married for less than five years, have no children and have limited community property.
Once the Joint Petition for Dissolution or Legal Separation is filed, parties are still required to:
- Disclose financial information to one another.
- Resolve any remaining issues that arise by mutual agreement.
- Incorporate their agreement into a judgment packet submitted to the Court for approval.
Under this process, parties pursue a collaborative approach to file a joint petition, allowing parties to reduce processing times and potentially reduce legal costs associated with the traditional adversarial divorce process, in which each party files separately before the Court.
If either party wishes to no longer continue with the collaborative process, they may revoke the joint petition and convert the case into a traditional divorce or legal separation proceeding before the Court.
Important Forms
- Joint Petition – Marriage or Domestic Partnership, Form FL-700
- Summons – Joint Petition, Form FL-710
- Notice of Revocation (Cancellation) of Joint Petition, Form FL-720
- Proof of Service of Pleading Revoking Joint Petition, Form FL-725
For the latest version of these forms, parties may visit the Judicial Branch of California’s website with the appropriate form number. Forms will be added on Jan. 1, 2026.
Additional Resources
For questions, the Court’s Self-Help staff are available to assist self-represented parties using this new joint petition process. In addition, online resources will be added to the Court’s website in early 2026 to ensure forms are completed correctly and parties understand each step, including an online video workshop and a guided interview process.
For a list of Self-Help Centers across Los Angeles County, please visit the Court’s website here. For online resources, please visit the Court’s Self-Help website here.
This new Joint Petition for Dissolution or Legal Separation process reflects the Court’s ongoing effort to modernize family law procedures and provide more streamlined, user-friendly pathways for resolving cases collaboratively, reducing time and costs for litigants.
As the largest trial court in the nation, the Superior Court of Los Angeles County serves nearly 10 million residents across 36 courthouses and a jurisdiction spanning more than 4,000 square miles, including 88 cities, 140 unincorporated areas, and 88 law enforcement agencies. The Court remains steadfast in its mission to serve our community by providing equal access to justice through the fair, timely and effective resolution of all cases.
For more information on the Court’s current programs and services, follow the Court on X (@LASuperiorCourt), Instagram (@LASuperiorCourt), Threads (@ LASuperiorCourt), or visit the Court’s website, www.LACourt.ca.gov.
