File for Divorce Online in Contra Costa County, California

The Contra Costa County Superior Court accepts electronic filing (e-filing) for family law cases through approved Electronic Filing Service Providers (EFSPs). If you are representing yourself, e-filing is optional — you can still file on paper.

Family law e-filing became mandatory for attorneys on July 5, 2022. Under Local Rule 2.87 and the court's E-Filing Standing Order, represented parties must e-file while self-represented litigants may e-file but are not required to. Filings go through the court's Odyssey eFileCA portal. Watch the fee selection when you e-file — the court warns that a Request for Order should use the $435 first-appearance option rather than the $60 motion option if a first-appearance fee has not yet been assessed.

Contra Costa court e-filing page and approved providers

MutualFile prepares your Contra Costa divorce forms so they are court-ready, then walks you through exactly how to submit them — whether you e-file through an EFSP, file in person, or file by mail. You file with the court yourself; we make sure the paperwork is complete before you do.

The process in Contra Costa follows standard California divorce procedure:

1. File the Petition (FL-100) and Summons (FL-110) with the Contra Costa County Superior Court
2. Serve your spouse with the filed documents
3. Exchange financial disclosures (FL-140, FL-142, FL-150)
4. Spouse has 30 days to respond after being served
5. Reach a settlement agreement or proceed through court proceedings
6. Submit the Judgment (FL-180) for the court to review and sign
7. The 6-month waiting period must pass before the divorce is final

For a full walkthrough, see our step-by-step California divorce guide.

Joint petition: $435 or $870 in Contra Costa?

$870 — and that is the total for your case, not per spouse. A joint petition (FL-700) for dissolution or legal separation filed with the Contra Costa County Superior Court carries one combined $870 fee that covers both spouses' appearances, in place of the separate Petition and Response fees in a traditional filing. If one spouse later revokes the joint petition, the schedule says no additional first-appearance fee is due from either of you. The $435 figure applies only to a joint petition for summary dissolution, a separate short-marriage procedure with strict eligibility limits. Fee waivers are available for those who qualify.

Source: Judicial Council Statewide Civil Fee Schedule (effective Jan 1, 2026).

Fee waivers in Contra Costa

Submit an original plus one copy of FW-001 and FW-003, plus FW-002 for additional fees. If the request is denied, you have 10 days from the notice to pay, give more information or ask for a hearing. The court posts a fee waiver packet (FW-001, rev. 3/1/26). Contra Costa court fee-waiver information.

See our full California divorce cost breakdown for more details.

Contra Costa uses direct calendaring: when you file your petition the case is randomly assigned to a specific judicial department, and that department handles it throughout. The Spinetta Family Law Center houses five of the county's seven family law courtrooms. Check contracosta.courts.ca.gov for current processing estimates.

California has a mandatory 6-month waiting period. In a traditional divorce it runs from the date your spouse is served; in a joint petition (SB 1427) it runs from the date you file, because there is no service step. Either way this is the legal minimum — no divorce can be finalized before this period passes, regardless of how quickly you complete your paperwork.