Why We Built This
Built for People, Not Lawyers
CourtLoom combines guided workflows, smart automation, and California-specific data to help you navigate your family law case with confidence.
We're not like them.
The California Divorce Process
How divorce works, step by step
From filing your first form to final judgment, here's what to expect.
You start the case by filing a Petition for Dissolution (FL-100) and a Summons (FL-110) with the court. Depending on your situation, additional forms may also be required, such as forms relating to children.
CourtLoom prepares your petition, summons, and related forms.
Your spouse must be formally served with the filed papers by someone other than you. Service is an essential step because it officially starts the response timeline.
CourtLoom includes a process server directory and helps you find an attorney if needed.
After service, your spouse generally has 30 days to file a Response (FL-120). If no Response is filed, you may be able to proceed by default.
Both sides must exchange preliminary financial disclosures. These typically include a Declaration of Disclosure (FL-140), an Income and Expense Declaration (FL-150), and either a Schedule of Assets and Debts (FL-142) or a Property Declaration (FL-160), along with required financial information. These disclosures are mandatory in most divorce cases.
CourtLoom walks you through your FL-150, FL-142, and FL-160 with guided worksheets.
If you and your spouse reach agreement, you can submit written settlement terms to the court. If your spouse does not respond, you may proceed by default. If you disagree on issues, the case may require requests for orders, mediation, hearings, or trial.
CourtLoom prepares settlement agreements, RFO forms, and connects you with attorneys and mediators.
To finish the case, final judgment paperwork must be prepared and submitted to the court. A judge reviews the paperwork and signs the Judgment if everything is complete and acceptable.
CourtLoom prepares your judgment forms and filing packet.
In California, a divorce cannot be finalized immediately. In a standard divorce case, there is a minimum waiting period of at least 6 months from service before marital status can terminate.
Your marriage is not officially terminated until the effective date stated in the Judgment. In many cases, that date cannot be earlier than 6 months after service, but some cases take much longer.
This timeline is a general overview of the California divorce process. Every case is different. CourtLoom is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. If you need advice about your specific situation, consult a licensed California attorney.
What's Under the Hood
Tools that actually help
Smart Questionnaire
Answer plain-English questions about your situation. CourtLoom automatically fills in the correct Judicial Council forms, no legal jargon, no guesswork.
- 40+ California family law forms supported
- Available in English and Spanish
- Conditional logic skips questions that don't apply to you
- Covers dissolution, custody, support, restraining orders, and more
AI Navigator
Not sure which forms you need? Describe your situation in your own words and our AI identifies exactly which workflows and forms apply to your case.
- Plain-English input, no legal terminology required
- Matches you to the right workflow in seconds
- Covers 40 different case types and scenarios
- Like having a paralegal in your pocket
Child Support Calculator
Seeking CertificationBuilt to the Family Code § 4055 guideline formula. Enter income, timeshare, and deductions to get a detailed breakdown you can bring to court.
- Timeshare percentage calculations
- Add-ons for childcare, healthcare, and education
- Hardship deduction support
- Ostler-Smith variable income analysis
- Net spendable income comparison
- Scenario comparison tool
Court-Ready Document Packets
Download organized PDF filing packets formatted the way your courthouse expects them, complete with cover sheets, filing checklists, and instructions.
- Professional formatting that matches court requirements
- Cover sheets and filing checklists included
- Deadline tracking for every filing
- Download as a single organized packet
County-Specific Data
CourtLoom knows the specifics for every California county: courthouses, filing fees, local requirements, and available process servers.
- 73+ courthouses across all 58 California counties
- Current filing fees with automatic lookups
- County-specific filing checklists
- Process server directory (22 providers, statewide coverage)
Deadline & Case Tracking
Never miss a filing deadline. CourtLoom automatically generates key dates based on your case timeline and tracks hearings, deadlines, and pleadings.
- Auto-calculated deadlines based on California rules
- Hearing calendar with reminders
- Pleading tracker for all filed documents
- Court-day calculations (California holidays aware, 2025–2027)
Financial Worksheets
Interactive worksheets that walk you through California's financial disclosure requirements, the part of divorce that trips up most self-represented litigants.
- Guided FL-150 Income & Expense Declaration worksheet
- Property division worksheets (FL-142)
- Step-by-step disclosure preparation
- Running calculations as you fill in each section
Marital Property Balance Sheet
An interactive worksheet for dividing community assets and debts between spouses. Calculates equalization payments in real time and exports a clean PDF.
- List assets and debts with current values
- Assign each item to either spouse or split equally
- Automatic equalization payment calculation
- Personalize with names and case number
- Export a court-ready PDF
Settlement Agreement Builder
Build a comprehensive Marital Settlement Agreement through guided questions. CourtLoom generates a court-ready Word document covering all required sections.
- 10 sections covering property, support, custody, and debt
- Conditional sections based on your situation
- 73 fields with intelligent defaults
- Outputs professional .docx with court header and notary block
Professional Directory
When you need professional help beyond document preparation, CourtLoom connects you with vetted professionals in your county.
- Mediators, custody evaluators, forensic accountants, QDRO attorneys
- 108 professionals across California
- County-specific results with statewide fallbacks
- Smart referral triggers based on your case complexity
Security & Privacy
Your divorce documents contain some of the most sensitive information in your life. CourtLoom treats that responsibility seriously.
- Encryption at rest for all uploaded documents
- Document access logging and audit trail
- CCPA-compliant data export and account deletion
- Automatic session timeouts
- Presigned URLs with 5-minute expiration