How to finish your divorce after a trial  (with minor children)

Make sure you’re ready to submit the judgment papers

Before you submit your final forms, make sure:

• Your trial is finished

• The judge made decisions about all issues in your case

• You understand what orders the judge made

You will need to attach the judge’s decisions from your trial to your judgment forms.

Fill out the final forms

You must fill out several forms so the judge can sign the final judgment in your case.

Judgment

Judgment (form FL-180) ↗️

This form becomes the final court order in your divorce or legal separation.

Attach the judge’s orders from your trial to this form.

Notice of rights and responsibilities

Notice of Rights and Responsibilities (form FL-192) ↗️

Attach this form to your judgment.

It explains how parents can:

• Ask the other parent to help pay for health care costs not covered by insurance

• Ask the court to change a child support order

Child support case registry form

Child Support Case Registry Form (form FL-191) ↗️

Submit this form to the court if you have not already filed one.

Do not attach it to the judgment. Turn it in with your other forms.

Notice of entry of judgment

Notice of Entry of Judgment (form FL-190) ↗️

After the judge signs the judgment, the court will mail this form to you.

This notice confirms that your divorce or legal separation is final.

If you asked for a divorce, it will show the date your marriage or domestic partnership ends.

Attach the court orders from your trial

Attach the judge’s decisions from the trial to your Judgment.

Depending on what the judge decided, you may need to attach additional forms.

If the judge made orders about child support

• Child Support Information and Order Attachment (form FL-342) ↗️
  Use this form to show the judge’s decision about child support.
• Income Withholding for Support (form FL-195) ↗️
  Use this form if child support will be taken directly from a parent’s paycheck. If not, you don´t need to fill it out.
  Do not attach it to the judgment. Submit it with your other forms.

If the judge made orders about child custody and visitation

• Child Custody and Visitation Order Attachment (form FL-341) ↗️
  Use this form to show the judge’s decisions about child custody and visitation.

If the judge made orders about spousal support

• Spousal, Partner, or Family Support Order Attachment (form FL-343) ↗️
  Use this form to show the judge’s decision about spousal support.
• Spousal or Domestic Partner Support Factors Under Family Code Section 4320 Attachment (form FL-349) ↗️
  This form shows the legal factors the judge considered before deciding long-term support.
• Earnings Assignment Order for Spousal or Partner Support (form FL-435) ↗️
  You can use this form if you want support payments taken directly from your spouse’s paycheck. If not, you don´t need to fill it out.

If the judge made orders about property

• Property Order Attachment to Judgment (form FL-345) ↗️
  Use this form to show how the judge divided property and debts.

Check if your court has local requirements

Some courts require additional forms or a specific number of envelopes.

Before turning in your judgment papers, check if your court has any special rules.

You can:

• Contact the court clerk

• Check your court’s website ↗️

• Talk to the family law facilitator or self-help center ↗️

They can tell you if you need any other forms to finish your divorce.

Make copies of your papers

Make 3 copies of all your forms.

You will:

• Turn in the original and 2 copies to the clerk

• Keep the third copy for your records

Prepare envelopes

You must provide 2 envelopes with postage.

The envelopes must be large enough to hold copies of your judgment papers.  

Address:

• 1 envelope to yourself

• 1 envelope to your spouse

If the judge signs your judgment, the clerk will mail each of you:

• A copy of the Judgment

• A copy of the Notice of Entry of Judgment

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

Check with your court clerk ↗️ or self-help center ↗️ to make sure.

Submit your forms

Turn in the original and 2 copies of your forms to the court clerk.

The clerk will process your paperwork and send it to a judge to review.

Review times vary. It may take several weeks or months.

You can ask the clerk how long it usually takes in your court.

Get forms back

If everything is correct, the judge will sign your judgment forms.

The clerk will then mail copies of the signed forms to you and your spouse.

If something is missing or wrong, the court will return the forms with instructions about what you need to fix.

When you receive the Notice of Entry of Judgment marked “Filed,” your divorce or legal separation is complete.

If you asked for a divorce, the notice will show the date your marriage or domestic partnership officially ends.