Family Law & Divorce lawyers in California

3,727 attorneys

Divorce, child custody, support, and related family matters.

3,727 California attorneys list family law & divorce among their practice areas, sourced from the public directory of The State Bar of California. Pick a city to compare them and contact anyof them directly — no middleman, no referral fees

Where the listings are

Los Angeles

743 attorneys

San Diego

608 attorneys

San Francisco

406 attorneys

Beverly Hills

157 attorneys

Pasadena

110 attorneys

Monterey Park

90 attorneys

Long Beach

89 attorneys

Encino

85 attorneys

All 156 California cities

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

L

M

N

O

P

R

S

T

V

W

Before you call anyone

Someone who is not a party handing a petition, summons and blank response across a doorway
Start hereFam. Code § 2339Fam. Code § 2104(f)

How a divorce works in California, start to finish

The whole process in order — petition, service, automatic restraining orders, financial disclosure, temporary orders, judgment — with the form numbers, the deadlines that are real, and where each step usually goes wrong.

Reviewed August 16, 2026 · 5 min

A court fee schedule with the first-paper and joint-petition lines marked, beside a fee-waiver request

What a divorce costs in California

Court filing fees for a California divorce are published: $435–$450 for a regular petition, $870 for a joint one. Everything else depends on how much has to be decided. What each part costs, and what a fee waiver covers.

Reviewed August 16, 2026

Two spouses checking names and signature lines on the same set of California joint-petition forms
SB 1427Fam. Code § 2331Fam. Code § 2342.5

California's joint divorce petition: when filing together actually helps

California spouses can start a divorce together, but the joint route has no temporary orders. How to compare it with the regular petition before filing.

Reviewed August 16, 2026 · 4 min

A caregiver's authorization affidavit open on a kitchen table beside a handwritten note
AB 495Fam. Code § 6550

California's 2026 family preparedness forms: what AB 495 really changed

California updated the caregiver affidavit and guardianship rules in 2026. Build a usable child-care plan without giving away more authority than needed.

Reviewed August 16, 2026 · 6 min

Hearing minutes, an order after hearing, and a five-year timeline laid out by date
Fam. Code § 3044SB 899

California custody after domestic violence: how section 3044 changes the hearing

California Family Code section 3044 changes who must prove what after a domestic-violence finding. The five-year rule, required findings, and 2026 changes.

Reviewed August 16, 2026 · 5 min

A person completing form FW-001 at a kitchen table beside current income records
Form FW-001Fam. Code § 2030

How to start a California divorce when you cannot afford the filing fee

California fee waivers can remove eligible court costs, while court self-help, limited-scope representation, and need-based fee orders address different gaps.

Reviewed August 16, 2026 · 5 min

A person comparing an AI-generated chronology with dated messages and a blank California court form
Cal. Rules of Court 10.430CCP § 128.7

ChatGPT and your California divorce: useful drafting, real legal consequences

A general-purpose AI chatbot can organize divorce material, but it cannot verify legal judgment. Learn how privilege, discovery, and filing rules apply.

Reviewed August 16, 2026 · 5 min

A qualification letter, a signed domestic relations order and a delivery receipt
QDROFam. Code § 2610

Gray divorce in California: what happens to pensions and retirement

A divorce judgment may divide retirement without making the plan pay. How QDROs, IRAs, public pensions, survivor benefits, and Social Security differ.

Reviewed August 16, 2026 · 6 min

A spouse comparing an FL-142 asset entry with a bank statement and a transaction export at a dining table
Fam. Code § 1101Fam. Code § 2552

Cryptocurrency in a California divorce: finding, tracing, and valuing the wallet

A California divorce disclosure needs more than a crypto balance. Learn how wallet records, tracing, valuation terms, and transfer records affect division.

Reviewed August 16, 2026 · 7 min

A printed guideline result beside a worksheet that labels HN, H percent, TN and K separately
Fam. Code § 4055SB 343

How California calculates child support: the formula and its inputs

California uses CS = K[HN - (H%)(TN)]. See how current law treats net income, parenting time, multiple children, add-ons, and calculator results.

Reviewed August 16, 2026 · 7 min

A court-stamped petition and a proof of service beside a paper calendar marked filing, service and judgment
Fam. Code § 2339Fam. Code § 70

California's six-month divorce wait starts with service, not filing

Learn which event starts California's six-month divorce period, why the date of separation is a different date doing a different job, and how bifurcation works when other issues remain open.

Reviewed August 16, 2026 · 5 min

A displaced homeowner sorting an insurance declarations page, coverage letters and receipts at a temporary kitchen table
SB 495Fam. Code § 2552

Divorce after a California wildfire, when the house is gone

A wildfire claim can become several restricted payments. How California spouses can trace insurance proceeds, mortgage limits, deadlines, and custody changes.

Reviewed August 16, 2026 · 6 min

Two rows of open case folders and forms on a table, with one loose schedule raised between them
11 U.S.C. § 362(b)(2)11 U.S.C. § 523(a)(15)

Bankruptcy and divorce in California: what drives the filing order

See how the automatic stay, joint debt, community property, support, and Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 rules shape the bankruptcy-and-divorce sequence.

Reviewed August 16, 2026 · 7 min

How to choose a family law & divorce lawyer

Look for an active California bar license, relevant experience, and clear fees. Every profile here links to the attorney’s official State Bar record, so the license facts can be checked at the source. Some attorneys carry a “State Bar certified” badge — that specialty is certified by the Bar’s Board of Legal Specialization, the one practice claim the Bar itself stands behind.

Practice areas are reported by the attorneys themselves. The State Bar of California does not verify them and makes no warranty about experience or competence in a practice area. A “State Bar certified” badge is different: that specialty is certified by the Bar’s Board of Legal Specialization. AttorneyIndex is an independent commercial directory funded by advertising. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by any bar association. Informational only — not legal advice. Listings link to independently licensed attorneys.