There Is No One-Day Divorce, Have You Considered An SMC (tm) ?

No Such Thing As A Quickie-Divorce In California - Really!

I do get this question every once in awhile:  Can I divorce my spouse quickly, since we both agree all issues for our dissolution?  Boy, would I love to say "yes, absolutely.  Sign here, and pay me a flat fee, we will ship it to the Courthouse and you will be single in time for dinner tonight."  

In the state of California, in every county, there is a mandatory six-month waiting period.  The clock starts from the date you serve your spouse divorce papers, and you must wait six months you receive a divorce judgment.  

Are there exceptions?  No!  Can you go to Mexico and get a "quickie divorce?"  No you cannot, however you can get the Mexican divorce certificate, celebrate for a day or two in Ensenada with your ex-spouse, and perhaps that experience will re-ignite the marriage!   No harm there, because a Mexican divorce doesn't carry any weight if California jurisdiction controls.

Can you go to Nevada and get a quickie divorce?  No, but you can get the quickie-divorce certificate from an Elvis impersonator in Las Vegas, see Le Cirque with a martini in hand, and.....yes re-ignite your marriage in the City Where Whatever Happens Stays In Vegas (including quickie divorces, they too stay in Vegas without having any effect towards a California marriage).  Six months for a California divorce, it is simply an unwavering rule.

However, if you and your spouse are ready to divorce, don't get discouraged at the prospect of a six-month wait.  You can actually file, serve your spouse, and submit the judgment for the Court's review and signature much faster than six months.  You can hire an attorney like me to draft a fair and thorough stipulated judgment, and then bask in the knowledge you didn't endure a several-year divorce nightmare that costs tens of thousands of dollars.

Am I being a bit too lighthearted on this topic?  Absolutely, but I do so with a grain of seriousness.  I have witnessed divorced parties end up with an even distribution from a divorce after years of fighting in Court with attorneys.  How is the result even?  Simple: the couple spent all their money and assets on attorneys, and there was nothing left to divide at judgment.    

Introducing the S.M.C. (TM)

These couples could have instead accepted what I will call the "Six Month Challenge" (hereinafter referred to as "SMC").  This SMC  it may involve one attorney representing both parties, or two attorneys working with their respective clients towards a six month agreement.  Either scenario involves a good-faith effort to finish a negotiated judgment and submit the same to the judge within six months.  That's right, getting the divorce done within six months, and not one day longer.  

Who benefits from my self-titled "SMC"?  You, the client, reap the benefit.  You end up not spending excess litigation fees that could have been used for college savings for your children.  You end up not wasting weeks, months, and years expending a crazy amount of energy battling your ex-spouse.  And if you have children, your children will not have to witness excess months or years of an angry divorce battle.  Saving money, and saving emotional harm towards your children:  that's priceless!

If you and your spouse are heading down that path to a dissolution, and want to work together to complete a judgment within the six month period, please do not hesitate to contact me.  

The Conclusion, And The Pitch

There is very little that is more painful on couples, and their family and friends, than a divorce.  However, having a common goal to get the dissolution complete with minimal drama and cost can save the parties both financially and emotionally. It won't be finished in 1 day, but with cooperation and focus, it can be completed easily for the six month waiting period.

Call my office at (951) 276-0500 today to discuss this option; I believe you will be glad that you did.