California Family Law Attorneys

At DearLegal, we connect you with experienced California family law attorneys who can navigate California’s community property and Family Code framework.

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Matched with a California attorney in 24 hours
30,000+ plaintiffs served nationwide

Free California family law case review

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How we match your California family law case

When you submit a California family law matter, we route it through a national network of independent partner firms and put it in front of the one that fits best — based on the kind of case it is, what it is likely to involve, where it has to be handled, and who has capacity to take it on now.

Case type

A family law matter needs someone who handles family law work day to day, not a generalist. Practice area is the first filter.

Size and complexity

Some firms are built for catastrophic injury and multi-party litigation; others resolve straightforward claims quickly. We weigh what your matter is likely to involve against how each firm actually works.

Jurisdiction and licensing

Your matter is decided under California law, so it goes to an attorney licensed in California who regularly appears where your case would be heard.

Capacity and fit

Availability, conflicts of interest and language all matter. If the best-fit firm cannot take your case, we route it to the next one that can — or tell you plainly when no one in the network is the right answer.

Every partner reviews your case for free. Injury and workers’ compensation matters are handled on contingency — no fee unless you win. Other matters are quoted upfront, before you commit to anything.

Get started How DearLegal works

DearLegal provides marketing and matching services and is not a law firm, and is not a State Bar-certified lawyer referral service. Submitting a case does not create an attorney-client relationship. Matches depend on case type, jurisdiction and firm availability.

Exhibit A

What happens with a family law claim in California

Day 0
You decide to act.
Separation, custody, support or a modification. Gather financials, the children’s schedules and any agreements or orders that already exist.
Within 24 hours
Tell us what happened.
Two minutes on this page. A California family law attorney reviews it for free and, if it’s a fit, you’re matched within 24 hours.
Weeks 1–4
Filing and disclosures.
The petition is filed and both sides exchange financial disclosures. Temporary orders for custody or support can be requested early in California.
Months 1–6
Negotiation or mediation.
Most cases settle here — parenting plans, division of property, support. Your attorney negotiates from the disclosures, not from guesses.
If it doesn’t settle
Hearing or trial.
Contested issues go before a judge. Preparation matters more than argument; your attorney builds the file for it from day one.
Resolution
Final order.
Fees are quoted before you commit — hourly or a retainer, spelled out in writing at the free consultation.

Residency Requirement: 6 months
6 months in state and 3 months in county (Fam. Code § 2320)
Property Division System: Community Property
Community Property — equal division (Fam. Code §§ 760, 2550)
Custody Standard: Best interests
Best interests with statutory factors (Fam. Code § 3011); policy of frequent and continuing contact (Fam. Code § 3020)
Child Support Guidelines: Income Shares-style
Income Shares-style algebraic guideline formula (Fam. Code § 4055)
Spousal Support Framework: 10 years
Temporary support during case (often Santa Clara/Alameda guidelines) and permanent support under Fam. Code § 4320 factors; long-term-marriage rule at 10 years (Fam. Code § 4336)
Typical attorney fee: Hourly
Hourly / Flat Fee

California is a community property state under Fam. Code § 760 — all property acquired during the marriage is presumptively owned 50/50. California allows divorce on irreconcilable differences under Fam. Code § 2310 — the modern model of no-fault divorce that other states copied. Residency is 6 months in the state and 3 months in the county before filing under Fam. Code § 2320. California imposes a mandatory 6-month-and-a-day waiting period from service before the marriage can be terminated (Fam. Code § 2339). Custody is decided under Fam. Code § 3011 best-interests factors, with a strong public policy of frequent and continuing contact (Fam. Code § 3020).

Exhibit B

When to call a family law attorney in California

Does any of this sound like you? Tap what applies.

Exhibit C

Family Law cases we take in California

Which one is closest to yours?

Uncontested divorce

When both spouses agree on all terms, California allows finalization after the 6-month waiting period via judgment by stipulation or default with agreement.

Sound like yours? A California attorney reviews it free — fees are quoted upfront, before you commit.

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Exhibit D

How much do California family law attorneys cost?

Typical fee schedule

California · Family Law

Fee modelHourly / Flat Fee

Feequoted per petition or matter

Filing costsitemized upfront

Case reviewFree

Illustrative only. Your fee terms are set in a written agreement with your attorney and may include costs and expenses regardless of outcome.

Family Law matters in California are usually a flat fee per filing — quoted before you commit, not billed by the hour.

Family law cases in California are not handled on contingency. California Rule of Professional Conduct 1.5(d)(1) prohibits contingent fees in family law cases where the fee is contingent on securing a dissolution or on the amount of spousal support, child support, or property settlement. California family law attorneys charge hourly (billed against a retainer) or a flat fee for uncontested matters. Courts may award need-based attorney’s fees under Fam. Code § 2030 and sanctions-based fees under Fam. Code § 271.

A good attorney walks through every number at your free consultation — before you sign anything.

Get startedTakes about two minutes. No obligation.

Exhibit E

What your California family law compensation can include

A California family law recovery is built from several parts. Tap one to see what it covers.

Property Division

Community property — equal division of all property acquired during marriage (Fam. Code §§ 760, 2550), with separate property and Fam. Code § 2640 reimbursements carved out.

DearLegal is a legal referral service, not a law firm. We connect individuals with licensed attorneys who can evaluate their case. Nothing on this page constitutes legal advice. Results vary based on individual circumstances.

Exhibit F

California family law questions, answered

Still unsure? Tell us what happened and a California attorney will review it for free.

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At minimum, 6 months and 1 day from the date the respondent is served — California’s mandatory waiting period under Fam. Code § 2339. Uncontested divorces typically finalize at or shortly after the 6-month mark. Contested cases routinely take 12–24 months or longer in busy counties like Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Yes — California pioneered no-fault divorce in 1970. The only grounds for dissolution under Fam. Code § 2310 are irreconcilable differences or permanent legal incapacity to make decisions. Fault is not a ground for dissolution and generally not considered in property division.

No pre-filing separation is required. However, the date of separation (Fam. Code § 70) is critical — it’s the cutoff for accruing community property. The mandatory 6-month-and-1-day waiting period from service must elapse before marital status is terminated.

California is a community property state. All property acquired during the marriage — earnings, real estate, retirement accruals, business interests — is presumptively community property and divided equally (Fam. Code §§ 760, 2550). Separate property (owned before marriage or acquired by gift/inheritance) stays with the original owner. Commingling and tracing under Fam. Code § 2640 are common battleground issues.

California applies the best-interests standard under Fam. Code § 3011, considering the child’s health/safety/welfare, history of abuse, nature of contact with each parent, and substance abuse. Fam. Code § 3020 declares a public policy of frequent and continuing contact with both parents. Joint custody is favored but not presumed except by agreement.

California uses an algebraic guideline formula under Fam. Code § 4055 — often called the DissoMaster formula — based on both parents’ net incomes and timeshare. Deviation requires specific findings (Fam. Code § 4056). The result is highly sensitive to timeshare percentages.

Yes. Custody and child support can be modified on a change in circumstances. Spousal support modifiability depends on the order — most are modifiable, but parties can agree to non-modifiable terms in long-term marriages. Property division (community property division) is generally final and not modifiable.

Family Law attorneys by city in California

Same California rules and the same attorneys — with what’s local to each city.

Other case types in California

All California practice areas →

Animal Incident attorneysCalifornia holds dog owners strictly liable for bites — the owner pays even if the dog had never bitten anyone before.

Business Dispute attorneysCalifornia bans most non-compete clauses, which shifts the leverage in partnership and employment disputes.

Car Accident attorneysPure comparative fault means even partially at-fault drivers can recover — an attorney protects your share against insurer pushback.

Consumer Protection attorneysCalifornia’s consumer-protection and unfair-competition laws give consumers some of the strongest claims in the country.

Criminal Defense attorneysCalifornia’s criminal code, Three Strikes law, and newer resentencing rules require counsel who knows the local DA office.

Defective Product attorneysCalifornia pioneered holding manufacturers strictly liable for defective products — and still leads on consumer-protective doctrine.

Employment attorneysCalifornia’s state civil-rights agency and worker-protection laws give employees more leverage than federal law alone — if filed on time.

Immigration attorneysCalifornia has the largest immigrant population in the U.S. — and immigration courts in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego each run on different timelines.

Lemon Law attorneysCalifornia’s Lemon Law lets you recover up to 2x actual damages plus attorney fees from the manufacturer.

Medical Malpractice attorneysCalifornia recently raised its medical-malpractice caps on pain-and-suffering damages, and they now rise each year — a reform that re-opens cases the old cap discouraged.

Personal Injury attorneysA 2-year filing deadline and pure comparative fault frame every California PI case — the math of your recovery starts here.

Slip and Fall attorneysCalifornia premises liability turns on notice and reasonableness — courts have set clear rules for how often stores must inspect for hazards.

Social Security Disability attorneysCalifornia’s SSA hearing offices (Oakland, Los Angeles, San Diego) handle some of the country’s longest waits — an attorney accelerates and strengthens your claim.

Workers’ Compensation attorneysCalifornia’s workers’ comp division runs hearings statewide — and the state’s medical-evaluator process can make or break your impairment rating.

California Family Law Attorneys

How we match your California family law case

Case type

Size and complexity

Jurisdiction and licensing

Capacity and fit

What happens with a family law claim in California

You decide to act.

Tell us what happened.

Filing and disclosures.

Negotiation or mediation.

Hearing or trial.

Final order.

When to call a family law attorney in California

Family Law cases we take in California

Uncontested divorce

Contested divorce

Child custody (legal and physical)

Child support and modification

Spousal support

Premarital and postnuptial agreements

Parentage / paternity actions

Adoption

Grandparent visitation rights

Domestic Violence Restraining Orders

Domestic partnership dissolution

Military divorce

How much do California family law attorneys cost?

What your California family law compensation can include

Property Division

Spousal Support

Child Support

Custody and Parenting Time

Attorney’s Fees

Protective Orders

California family law questions, answered

Family Law attorneys by city in California

Other case types in California

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