Where to File for Divorce in Ventura County?
Family law cases in Ventura County are filed in the main courthouse, which is the Hall of Justice. The matters it handles include marriage dissolution, legal separation, child custody, domestic violence, etc.
800 South Victoria Avenue, Ventura, CA 93009
Phone: 805-289-8610
Business Hours: 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.
📋 The Requirements for Divorce in Ventura County
California law directly defines residency requirements to be eligible to file a divorce case with the court. According to the Family Code, either both or one of the spouses must be a California resident for at least 6 months and reside in Ventura County for a minimum of 3 months before filing a Petition.
📌 Filing for an Uncontested Divorce in Ventura County
To get divorced in Ventura County, take the following steps:
- Obtain and fill in the forms necessary for your specific case.
- File the initial set of divorce papers with the local court and pay a filing fee if you did not file a request for a fee waiver.
- Get time-stamped copies from the clerk.
- Serve one set of divorce paper copies on your spouse using one of the state-approved document delivery methods.
- Wait for their response for 30 days at maximum, which must also be filed with the court and served on you afterward.
- File a Proof of Service completed by a person who delivered the documents, even if your spouse did not respond.
- Exchange financial disclosures with your spouse while undergoing a mandatory 6-month waiting period imposed by California law. The deadline for this step is 60 days from filing the Petition for a plaintiff and 60 days from filing a Response for a defendant.
- File your Declarations that prove the service of Disclosures with the court.
- File the rest of the paperwork, including forms concerning children, property division, alimony, etc.
- Wait for the judge to sign the final Divorce Judgment and get your copies from the clerk.
🗂️ Required Divorce Forms in Ventura County
While the complete package of divorce paperwork depends on your unique family situation, some forms are obligatory for all cases. Here is a list of the most basic ones:
- Petition (FL-100);
- Summons (FL-110);
- Response (FL-120);
- Proof of Service of Summons (FL-115);
- Declaration of Disclosure (FL-140);
- Income and Expense Declaration (FL-150);
- Declaration Regarding Service of Declaration of Disclosure (FL-141);
- Judgment (FL-180).
If you have minor children or property to divide, you may also need a Declaration under Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (FL-105), Child Support Information form (FL-150), and/or Property Declaration (FL-160). In case you need additional restrictive orders or waive any procedure, more forms may be required. Please consult your local court clerk to learn the requirements.
💳 Ventura County Divorce Filing Fees
The statewide civil fee for filing the first Petition or Complaint is $435, which is also pertinent to family law cases like divorce. Supplement motions or requests may entail additional fees, such as copy-making, mailing, certificate issuance, etc. Besides, you may need to pay for the service of process since you cannot serve the documents on the other party on your own.
You may waive court filing fees if you cannot afford them by submitting a corresponding form. If the court finds you eligible, it will satisfy your request, which cannot be done to other expenses like process server fees, for example.
Please contact the County of Ventura Superior Court website to clarify the exact expenses you might entail and your eligibility for a fee waiver.
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