Submit judgment and written agreement to finish your divorce

Once you complete your judgment paperwork, you need to make copies and submit everything to the court with envelopes. The court will review these forms to be sure there’s nothing missing. If the judge has any questions, they may set a court date. If nothing is missing, the judge will sign your judgment.

How to submit forms and envelopes

  • Prepare envelopes 

    You need 2 envelopes with enough postage. The envelope needs to be big enough to hold copies of all your judgment forms and agreement.

    Address one envelope to you, the other your spouse.

    If the court approves your judgment, the Clerk will mail a copy of the Judgment and the Notice of Entry of Judgment to you and your spouse.

    Some courts require a separate small envelope for the Notice of Entry of Judgment

    Contact the court clerk or Self-Help Center, if you haven't already, to be sure.
     
  • Make copies 

    Make 3 copies of your papers.

    You will give the original and two copies to the clerk.

    Keep the third copy with you in case you need it.

  • Submit forms and envelopes 

    Turn in the original and two copies of your forms to the court clerk.

    The clerk will process your paperwork and give it to a judge to review. This may take a week or even months. Ask the clerk what the usual time is to process.

  • Get judgment forms back 

    If everything required is there, a judge will sign your judgment. The clerk will:

    • Stamp the Judgment and the Notice of Entry of Judgment "filed"

    • Mail you a copy of the stamped forms

    If something is missing or wrong, you will get the forms back, not signed or stamped, with information about what’s missing.

When you receive the Notice of Entry of Judgment marked "filed," your case is complete. If you asked for a divorce (dissolution), the Notice will say the date your marriage or domestic partnership officially ends.

Divorce

After your divorce is final

You may need to take care of a few basic things after you get divorced, like change your insurance policies or will. Later on, it's possible you may need to go back to court. For example, if you need to change a child custody or support order, or one of you doesn't do what your judgment says.

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