California’s FL-180 Form: Judgment (Family Law)

FL-180, California’s Judgment for Dissolution of Marriage, is the last step in a client’s divorce journey. Once this important family law document is complete and signed by a judge, your client will have legally ended their marriage or domestic partnership. 

It is crucial to understand how to fill out FL-180 if you practice family law in California. Drafting this document is straightforward, but many cases will also require several attachments. Keep reading for a detailed Form FL-180 guide, along with answers to common questions.

Once you submit FL-180 to the clerk and the judge reviews the form, you will receive an official judgment, sometimes called a divorce decree, in the mail. This judgment is the final divorce order for your case and makes the divorce, or end of the partnership, final.

Although FL-180 is pretty short, many divorces and partnerships will need several additional documents attached to the form. We’ll let you know if any of these attachments apply to your clients in the next section.

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How to fill out form FL-180

There are just five items to complete when filling out an FL-180 form, plus the standard front matter included on most California family law forms. If the courts have already signed off on any orders that directly relate to this divorce or partnership, like a child support order or request for attorney’s fees, then be sure to have details about those decisions available when you complete FL-180.

Front matter:

• Your law practice information. 
• Superior Court of California, County of. The court where you will file FL-180.
• Marriage or partnership of. Write out your client’s name as the petitioner and the respondent’s full name. 
• Judgment. “Dissolution” is the most common instance, but check the appropriate term, if it won’t be this. 
• Date marital or domestic partnership status ends. This is six months after the petition for divorce or notice of termination of domestic partnership papers were served, or six months after your client’s ex responded to the papers.

Item 1: Restraining orders. If your client or their former partner has an active restraining order against them, you can check this box. Be sure to attach the order to this form when you submit it.

Item 2: Type of divorce. This question asks whether your client’s divorce was uncontested, contested, or agreed to in a court appearance. If you went to court, fill in the names of everyone involved.

Item 3: Date the papers were served. Here you will write the date when the first petition for divorce or domestic partnership notice was served.

Item 4: Court orders. This is where you finalize the divorce or end of the partnership, and you also note any prior agreements with the court. 

• • a. For dissolutions, check here. 
    • Enter either the official date the marriage or domestic partnership will end (this is the same date as in the front matter) or, if your client has agreed to a different date, write that here. A client may want to delay the official end of the union for personal or financial reasons, like to keep health insurance continuity, for example. 
  • b. Check this box for legal separations.
  • c. Check here for marriage annulments. 
  • d. This is not very common, but check if this is a retroactive filing to amend an earlier judgment. 
  • e. If there are unresolved matters related to—but outside of—the divorce or termination of domestic partnership, check here to state that those issues are pending.
  • f. If either former partner wants to go back to a maiden name, write it here.
  • g. Check here if you will be attaching anything that might request changes to current orders. For example, if you are also requesting to end domestic partner support. 

• Lines h to o. 

• • If you have child custody, financial support, dividing property, paying attorney’s fees, or other related orders that have been agreed to, check the appropriate boxes in this section. Scroll down to “Attachments and additional documents” to learn more about some of the common forms you might need to document in this section. 

Item 5. Write how many pages are attached to your FL-180 submission.

Attachments and additional documents

Clients with children will often need supporting documents attached to their FL-180 filing. Since the Judgment is the final step in a lengthy divorce process, you’ve likely already begun to hammer out details like custody, visitation, who will handle the children’s health care, and other important factors. Here are some of the documents you might attach to FL-180 that relate to children:

• Child Support Case Registry Form (form FL-191) (Note that if this is a new filing of this form, you’ll need to submit it within 10 days of filing Form FL-180.)  
• The Notice of Rights and Responsibilities—Health-Care Costs and Reimbursement Procedures and Information Sheet on Changing a Child Support Order (form FL-192) 
• Child Custody and Visitation Order Attachment (form FL-341)
• Stipulation and Order for Custody and/or Visitation of Children (form FL-355)
• Child Support Information and Attachment (form FL-342)
• Stipulation to Establish or Modify Child Support and Order (form FL-350)

Beyond agreements about how children will be cared for, you might also need to attach documents to the FL-180 that outline how your client will divide property or if financial support will be provided. Here are some of those documents:

• Spousal, Partner, or Family Support Order Attachment (form FL-343)
• Property Order Attachment to Judgment (form FL-345)
• Attorney Fees and Costs Order (form FL-346)

Depending on the county, there might also be additional forms that the local municipality requires. You can check your county clerk’s office, the county court’s website, or enter your city, county, or zip code into California court’s Self-Help Center to find local forms. 

Tips for filling a FL-180 form out accurately

You can prevent delays and costly back-and-forths with the courts with these filing do’s and don’ts:

• Do gather necessary information before completing FL-180, so that you and your client don’t have to wait for other parties to provide details. For example, if your client has children, be sure you have the children’s full names, and information about custody, visitation, and child support agreements before you start to complete the form. Legal client questionnaires can come in handy here!
• Don’t fill out form FL-180 without reviewing supporting documents first. Confirm which attachments you will file and double-check that you note the attachments on form FL-180.
• Do keep your form FL-180 filing consistent with all supporting documents and with any prior agreements made throughout the divorce proceedings.
• Don’t file an outdated or inaccurate version of form FL-180. Check the California courts website to confirm you are using the latest version of the form.

What to avoid when completing form FL-180

Divorce is a weighty matter and FL-180 is a short, but dense form. This makes it quite easy to overlook a section or misunderstand a question. Here are a few frequent mistakes to avoid while completing the form:

• Entering misspelled names or inaccurate details. Double, then triple-check the pertinent information like names, dates, and case numbers when completing form FL-180 because this is one of the most common mistakes people make filing California family law forms. Also, cross-reference your supporting documents so that everything is spelled and rendered the same way.
• Skipping sections. Not every section of form FL-180 must be completed, but if you skip a question that directly relates to this divorce, it will slow down the process. Avoid this by firming up your knowledge of the case, including agreements about custody or financial support, before you start to fill out this form.
• Forgetting attachments. FL-180 is almost like a cover letter for the supporting documents that round out the divorce agreement. If agreements have been made about how the couple will split up assets or care for children, you must attach those—and note them on the form. 
• Not checking for local requirements. While the FL-180 is the only form the state asks for, some cities or counties in California have their own forms that need to accompany a divorce judgment form. Ask your county clerk’s office, the county court’s website, or enter your city, county, or zip code into California court’s Self-Help Center to find local forms. 

Why the FL-180 form is important

This form finalizes divorce or legally ends a domestic partnership for your client. Until form FL-180 is properly filed and reviewed by a judge, your client is still technically married or bound to their partner, which carries hefty personal, financial, and even legal consequences.

Complying with court orders and accurately completing the Judgment form is crucial to officially end the marriage or domestic partnership. 

For these reasons, this form is not only legally important to your divorce case but can also be deeply emotional for your client and their family. 

Form FL-180 is significant for clients because it does bring closure: the end of a relationship and the end of a legal process. Along with the accompanying documents, FL-180 allows families to reestablish their roles and relationships with clarity.

Additional tips for handling form FL-180

Now that we have covered the necessities, learn a few valuable strategies to save time and stress:

• Consult frequently with your clients: This form is completed at the end of a lengthy process, so check in with your clients as some details, like a home address, may have changed since the last time you spoke. You will also want to keep them informed of processing times to manage their expectations. 
• Collaborate with opposing counsel: If your client’s former partner also hired a lawyer, reach out to them before filing FL-180. In this instance, opposing counsel can be a great resource for up-to-date information you may need to complete this form. 
• Stay up-to-date: California family law and accompanying forms are always changing, so stay up-to-date by frequently visiting the California courts website or finding a good contact in your county clerk’s office. 

Final thoughts: Form FL-180 (Judgment)

As the last step in the divorce process, form FL-180 is one of the most important forms in California family law. This form helps families end unsuccessful relationships and begin their new lives with confidence and clarity. Thus, timely and accurate filing of FL-180 can make a great impact on your client and their family. 

While this form itself is simple, some of the accompanying documents that outline orders for taking care of children or providing financial support are much more complex. If you are in doubt about your knowledge of California family law, do not hesitate to seek advice from an expert or consult the legal resources in the California courts Self-Help Center. 

Categorized in: California Legal Forms