Once a divorce finally wraps up, involved parties are usually relieved to put everything behind them and move on with their lives. The terms of the divorce are thus locked in and set in stone. However, not every resulting outcome is always satisfactory to either divorcing party. There are also instances where circumstances change and the original divorce terms are no longer fair or equitable to one party. 

In California, custody arrangements and co-parenting plans are usually drawn up and approved by the courts before a divorce is finalized. When parents dispute the potential arrangements during the divorce proceedings, the courts may step in to make the final call. However, the courts generally prefer that parents work together on an agreed parenting plan. 

After the divorce dust settles and custody issues are worked out, many people find themselves sharing custody of their children with the other party. This usually works out to a shared schedule or allotted time when the kids stay with you vs when they stay with the other parent. 

Once a divorce is finalized, both parties are likely to find themselves in a very different financial situation. The outcome of the divorce proceedings will likely play a huge part in shaping this post-divorce landscape. By then, the family law courts will have worked out how to divide all assets and debts between both parties. Furthermore, they’ll usually assign any spousal or child support obligations to one party as required. 

We’re nearly halfway through 2023, and the hot summer months are upon us. Generally, summer months are peak divorce months, with August having on average the highest number of divorces throughout the year. With this in mind, we thought it would be a good time to offer a quick primer on the divorce process from beginning to end.