What is the difference between Divorce, Legal Separation & Annulment?
Divorce. A divorce (also called a “dissolution of marriage”) ends your marriage. You can get a divorce if you say you have “irreconcilable differences” with your spouse. You don’t have to give the court any other reason. It doesn’t matter who is at fault. If you get divorced, you can ask the judge for orders like child support, spousal support, partner support, custody and visitation, domestic violence restraining orders, division of property, and other orders. To get a divorce in California, you or your spouse must have lived in California for the last 6 months AND for 3 months in the county where you’re going to file for your divorce. Please click here for more information on this topic. Legal Separation. If you can’t (or don’t want to) get a divorce, you can ask the judge for a legal separation. A legal separation does not end a marriage or domestic partnership. (You can’t get a divorce if you and your spouse have lived in California for less than 6 months or for less than 3 months
