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After walking through the steps of filing, service, and completed disclosures, a matter may proceed into the default phase when a Response is not filed within 30 days. In California, there are two primary ways this "one-sided" finish plays out: the "True Default" and the "Default with Agreement."

Their Social Media Posts Could Be Evidence

author: The Paralegal and Trial Tech Services Team Remember when Tom Cruise had to scream "Show me the money!" into his 90s flip-phone? 📞 That is exactly what California's disclosure process feels like—it demands total, absolute financial transparency from both sides. If you are worried about hidden assets or surprise accounts, this mandatory 60-day step is actually your best friend. They dress it up in forms — FL-140, FL-142, FL-150 — and call it a Preliminary Declaration

When you are served with papers for a Dissolution (Divorce), the clock begins to tick on your ability to participate in the legal process. The Response (Form FL-120) is the document that allows your side to be part of the court record. It is where you state what you agree with, what you dispute, and what relief you are asking the court to consider regarding custody, support, property, and debts. Without a Response, the court may proceed based only on the other party’s filing

The day you file your divorce petition at the courthouse feels like a major milestone, but in the eyes of California law, it is not the event that starts your final countdown.