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Mechanics & Chronology

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A divorce is commenced by the filing of a summons, petition, and other documents with the court and the subsequent service of the documents on the respondent. A divorce is concluded when the court enters a Final Judgment of Dissolution, Legal Separation, or Annulment. There are many events that may transpire, and a number of documents that must and may be filed, in the time period between the filing of the petition and the entry of the Final Judgment.

Once a petition is filed and served upon the opposing party, the court will begin to schedule initial hearings. The time to complete an action for DISSOLUTION or LEGAL SEPARATION depends on a number of factors. As each individual case is different, the time required to bring your matter to a conclusion depends entirely on the facts and circumstances of your case.

  • Both petitioner and respondent MUST file Declarations of Disclosure and Income and Expense Statements during the pendency of the proceedings.
  • Other documents that may be filed during the pendency of a divorce include Stipulations and Waivers, Marital Settlement Agreements, Orders to Show Cause and Requests for Orders, and various motions and/or responses to the other party’s motions.
  • Motion practice and the filing and litigation of orders to show cause, together with the scope and extent of discovery that may be required, necessarily varies from matter to matter. This is because no two marital or domestic partnership estates are alike, and each divorce presents unique facts and circumstances that serve to define the parameters of what is actually needed as your matter progresses through the litigation process.
Our Awards and Memberships

Schoenberg Family Law Group, P.C., recognizes that family law matters involve complex, sensitive issues that can have a lasting impact on you, your family, your finances and your future.

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10.0 Avvo Superb Top Attorney Family Law, Divorce
Los Angeles and San Francisco Daily Journal
American Jurist Institute Top 10 Attorneys 2017
100 TOP WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES Women Who Lead
AMERICAN ACADEMY OF MATRIMONIAL LAWYERS (AAML)
2022 Client Satisfaction American Institute of Family Law Attorneys 10 Best
100 Fastest-Growing Private Companies In the Bay Area San Francisco Business Times
2021 LGBTQ-OWNED BUSINESSES Business Pride
10 Best Female Attorneys 2017 American Institute of Family Law Attorneys
San Francisco Bay Area's Best and Brightest Companies to Work For Winner 2021
2018 Best Lawyers Best Law Firms U.S. News & World Report
California Board of Legal Specialization (CBLS) State Bar of California
2020 Client Champion Debra R. Schoenberg
San Francisco Business Times Corporate Philanthropy Awards 2019
Expertise Best Divorce Lawyers in Concord 2020
2018 Expertise Best Divorce Lawyers in San Francisco
Fast 100
Lead Counsel Rated
Litigation Counsel of America (LCA) Fellow
National Board of Trial Advocacy
2017 Parents' Press Best of The Bay
San Francisco Business Times
Rated By Super Lawyers Debra R. Schoenberg
The Business of Pride
2021 Best Businesses Three Best Rated
San Francisco Business Times Corporate Philanthropy Awards & Summit
American Jurist Institute Top 10 Attorneys of 2018
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