No-Fault Divorce in California
State-specific overview · Family Law
California grants no-fault divorce based on irreconcilable differences with a six-month waiting period.
How California treats No-Fault Divorce
Either spouse can file citing irreconcilable differences without proving fault or wrongdoing. California imposes a mandatory six-month waiting period from the date of service before the divorce becomes final. The state eliminated fault-based grounds entirely and now recognizes only irreconcilable differences as grounds for divorce. This streamlined approach focuses on property division and custody rather than assigning blame.
The general definition of No-Fault Divorce
A divorce granted without requiring either spouse to prove wrongdoing by the other.
A no-fault divorce is a divorce where neither spouse has to prove that the other did something wrong, like infidelity or abuse. Instead, one or both spouses simply state that the marriage is irretrievably broken or that they have irreconcilable differences. This is the most common type of divorce in the United States today. No-fault divorces are generally faster and less contentious than fault-based divorces because they don't require gathering evidence of misconduct.
Read the full No-Fault Divorce entry →This page is a plain-English reference and is not legal advice. State laws change frequently. For specific situations consult a licensed attorney in California.