What Happens After You File the FL-700?

You and your spouse signed the FL-700 Joint Petition, filed it with the FL-710, paid the court, and walked out with file-stamped copies. In a traditional California divorce, the next job would be serving your spouse. In a joint petition under SB 1427, there is no one to serve — so what actually happens next?

Here is the timeline from the file stamp to the final judgment, and the forms that go with each stage.

The short version

| When | What happens | Forms involved | |---|---|---| | The day you file | Case opened, automatic restraining orders take effect, six-month clock starts | FL-700, FL-710 | | Within 60 days | Both spouses exchange preliminary financial disclosures | FL-142, FL-150, FL-141 | | Months 1–5 | Write and sign your marital settlement agreement | Agreement (+ FL-341 and child-support forms with kids) | | Any time | Either spouse may revoke and revert to a traditional case | FL-720 | | Six months + 1 day | Earliest date the court can enter your judgment | FL-180, FL-190 | | Judgment entered | You are divorced; the court mails the notice to both of you | FL-190 |

Day one: what filing the FL-700 sets in motion

Three things happen the moment the clerk stamps your petition:

1. Your case exists. You get a case number, and the file-stamp date becomes the date every later deadline counts from. Keep your endorsed copies somewhere safe.
2. The automatic restraining orders switch on — for both of you. That's the whole job of the FL-710 Summons. Until the judgment, neither spouse may move or hide property outside the ordinary course of life, change insurance beneficiaries, or take the children out of state without the other's written consent or a court order.
3. The six-month clock starts. California requires at least six months and one day between the start of the case and the earliest date a divorce can be final (Family Code §2339). In a traditional divorce that clock starts at service. In a joint petition, it starts the day you file.

Just as important is what doesn't happen. Nobody is served. There is no proof of service to file, no 30-day deadline for a response, no FL-120, and no risk of a default. Both of you are already in the case as Petitioner 1 and Petitioner 2.

Within 60 days: exchange your financial disclosures

This is the first real deadline, and the one couples most often miss. Each spouse must serve the other with a preliminary declaration of disclosure within 60 days of filing (Family Code §2104). In a joint petition both spouses are petitioners, so both 60-day windows start on the filing date.

The disclosure has three parts:

• FL-142 Schedule of Assets and Debts — everything you own and owe, whether you think it's community or separate.
• FL-150 Income and Expense Declaration — income, expenses, and recent pay stubs.
• Two years of tax returns.

You exchange these with each other, not with the court. What you file with the court is the FL-141 Declaration Regarding Service of Disclosure, a short form confirming the exchange happened. A missing FL-141 is one of the most common reasons a judgment gets sent back months later, so file it as soon as you've swapped documents.

A joint petition does not waive disclosures. The full guide to California financial disclosures covers what to gather.

Months one to five: reach and write your agreement

With disclosures done, the middle of the case is about the agreement the judge will eventually sign. Your marital settlement agreement needs to resolve:

• Property and debts — who keeps what, including the house and any retirement accounts.
• Spousal support — an amount, or a written waiver by both spouses.
• Children, if you have them — custody, parenting time, and child support calculated against the statewide guideline. See joint divorce with children for the extra forms.

There's no hearing for this stage. You negotiate on your own timeline, with a mediator if you want one. If both of you agree in writing, you can also waive the final declaration of disclosure (the preliminary one can't be waived), which trims one more step off the end.

Any time: the off-ramp

Either spouse can revoke the joint petition at any point before judgment by filing an FL-720 Notice of Revocation. The case converts to a traditional divorce, but you keep your original filing date and every day of waiting-period progress. If your spouse stops cooperating, this is how you keep the case moving without starting over.

The reverse is also true: nothing forces you to finish the moment six months are up. If you need longer to reach terms, the case simply stays open.

Six months and one day: the earliest your divorce can be final

The six-month mark is a floor, not a finish line. Nothing happens automatically. To end the marriage you submit a judgment package for a judge to review, and you can prepare it before the six months run so it's ready to go:

• FL-180 Judgment, with your signed agreement attached.
• FL-190 Notice of Entry of Judgment, which the court fills in and mails back.
• Both FL-141s already on file.
• Child attachments if you have minor children — typically the FL-341 custody order and a child-support order.
• Any local judgment forms your county requires. Check your court's judgment checklist before you submit.

Most joint and uncontested cases are decided on the papers, with no hearing. The judge signs, the clerk enters the judgment, and the court mails each of you the FL-190. Your divorce is final on the entry date printed on that notice, which can be the six-month date if everything was submitted in time, or later if it wasn't. The final judgment guide walks through the package in detail.

After the judgment: loose ends

The FL-190 restores your single status, but a few practical steps remain:

• Name change. If you asked in the judgment to restore a former name, the FL-190 is your proof for the Social Security Administration and the DMV.
• Beneficiaries and estate documents. The automatic restraining orders lift at judgment. Update life insurance, retirement beneficiaries, and your will.
• Retitling. Transfer deeds, vehicle titles, and accounts to match the agreement. Retirement accounts usually need a separate qualified domestic relations order.
• Taxes. Your filing status for the year depends on whether the judgment was entered by December 31.

Quick answers

Do we have to go to court? Usually not. Joint petitions with a complete agreement are typically reviewed on the papers.

Can we finish faster than six months? No. The waiting period is statutory. What you can do is have disclosures and the judgment package done early so the judgment is entered as soon as the period ends.

Does anyone need to be served? No. Filing together replaces service. The only "service" in a joint petition is exchanging disclosures with each other.

What if we can't agree after all? Either spouse files the FL-720 and the case continues as a traditional divorce with the same filing date. See FL-700 vs. FL-100 for what changes.

What comes next with MutualFile

MutualFile gives both spouses a shared dashboard that tracks each stage after the FL-700: it prepares your disclosures and FL-141s, holds your agreement, and assembles the FL-180 and FL-190 judgment package when the waiting period allows, with instructions for filing each step with your county court.

MutualFile is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. For contested property, support, or custody questions, consider consulting a licensed family-law attorney.

Start your free joint petition draft →

See the full Joint Petition overview →