What is the legal term for divorce in California?

The legal term for divorce in California is 'dissolution of marriage.' This is the official term used in California courts and on all legal filings related to ending a marriage in the state.

What are the grounds for dissolution of marriage in California?

California is a 'no-fault' divorce state, meaning you do not need to prove fault or wrongdoing to obtain a divorce. The most common ground for dissolution is 'irreconcilable differences,' which simply means the marriage has broken down with no reasonable prospect of reconciliation.

Is there a residency requirement to file for dissolution of marriage in California?

Yes. To file for dissolution of marriage in California, either you or your spouse must have been a resident of California for at least six months before filing, and a resident of the county where you plan to file the divorce petition for at least three months before filing. Meeting the residency requirement establishes the jurisdiction of the California courts over the parties and the divorce case. If you or your spouse do not yet meet the residency requirement, you must wait until it is satisfied before filing.

Can a spouse file for divorce in California if they don't meet the residency requirements?

No. To file for divorce in California, either spouse must meet the residency requirements: living in the state for at least six months and in the county where the divorce petition is filed for at least three months. If neither spouse currently meets these requirements, you must wait until the requirements are satisfied before the California courts will have jurisdiction over your case.

Can a divorce be obtained without going to court in California?

Yes. It is possible to obtain a divorce without going to court in California if both parties reach an agreement on all issues, including property division, child custody, and support. The agreed terms must be included in a Judgment of Dissolution, signed by both parties and their counsel, and filed and entered by the Court along with other required forms. The Court will not enter the Judgment until both parties exchange their Preliminary Declaration of Disclosure (PDD), file the Declaration Regarding Service of Preliminary Declaration of Disclosure, and submit their Waiver of Final Declaration of Disclosure if agreed. Always consult your lawyer regarding the Judgment process, or the Court facilitator if you are representing yourself.

Why choose an amicable divorce in Los Angeles?

Los Angeles courts are often backlogged with divorce cases, making litigation a slow and costly process. Choosing an amicable divorce through mediation offers several advantages: lower costs (mediation is significantly cheaper than hiring attorneys for a court battle), faster resolution (weeks or months rather than years), less stress through open communication and reduced conflict, more control (couples decide the terms rather than leaving it to a judge), and better outcomes for children by minimizing emotional strain and promoting cooperative co-parenting.

What issues can be resolved through mediation?

Mediation can be used to resolve a wide range of issues including: family and divorce matters (dissolution, child custody, spousal support, property division); civil disputes; real estate and property conflicts; employment and workplace issues; business and commercial disputes; probate and inheritance matters; and small claims and personal injury cases.

What are the benefits of choosing mediation over litigation?

Choosing mediation over litigation offers several key benefits: it is cost-effective (significantly less expensive than going to trial); it is faster (most matters resolve in weeks to months rather than years); it is confidential (proceedings are private, unlike court records which are public); it gives the parties greater control over the outcome; it preserves relationships by reducing adversarial conflict; and it leads to higher compliance rates because parties who craft their own agreements are more likely to follow them.

What is divorce mediation and how does it differ from going to court?

Divorce mediation is a structured negotiation process in which a neutral, trained mediator helps separating spouses reach mutually acceptable agreements on issues such as property division, child custody, support, and more — without a judge deciding for them. Unlike litigation, mediation is private, typically faster and less expensive, and gives both parties control over the outcome. In court, a judge makes binding decisions after hearing from both sides; in mediation, the parties themselves make informed decisions with the mediator's guidance, then submit agreed terms to the court for approval.

How much does affordable divorce mediation cost in Los Angeles?

Divorce mediation in Los Angeles is significantly less expensive than full courtroom litigation. Costs vary based on the complexity of the case, the number of sessions required, and the mediator's experience. Peter Hermes, Esq. of Family Law Mediation LA offers mediation fees that are affordable and fair compared to other third-party mediation services, with over 50 years of family law experience. For a specific fee estimate based on your circumstances, contact Family Law Mediation LA at (310) 770-7722 or hermes@peterhermes.com.

What family law mediation services does Family Law Mediation LA provide?

Family Law Mediation LA provides a comprehensive suite of services including: divorce and dissolution mediation; child custody and parenting-plan mediation; child support and spousal support matters including modifications; property division and valuation; prenuptial and postnuptial agreement mediation and review; paternity case mediation; post-judgment modification and enforcement; domestic violence restraining order matters; post-mediation settlement drafting and review; and private sessions (caucuses) and high-conflict case management.

What experience and qualifications does your mediator have?

Peter Hermes, Esq. brings a career spanning over 50 years in California family law. He is a California State Bar Certified Family Law Specialist, a long-standing member of the Los Angeles County Superior Court Family Law Mediation Panel, and a graduate of the Mosten-Guthrie Advanced Mediation Program. He is licensed with both the State Bar of California and the Supreme Court of the United States, and has handled high-profile complex family law matters involving prominent entertainment, business, and sports personalities. He has appeared as a guest legal analyst on NBC, ABC, CBS, and KTLA.

Who does Family Law Mediation LA serve and what geographic area is covered?

Family Law Mediation LA serves attorneys and their clients as well as the broader Southern California legal community. The primary practice focus is Los Angeles, CA, with Hermes Law Group located at 3415 S. Sepulveda Blvd., Suite 1260, Los Angeles, CA 90034. Zoom mediation is also available for remote participants throughout California. Contact the office at (310) 770-7722 or (213) 368-0000.

How does Family Law Mediation LA handle high-conflict or high-profile cases?

Family Law Mediation LA employs proven high-conflict management techniques including private sessions (caucuses) and tailored mediation strategies to de-escalate disputes and facilitate productive negotiation. Peter Hermes, Esq. has decades of experience handling high-profile, complex family law matters involving prominent entertainment, business, and sports personalities. He is skilled at balancing sensitivity, neutrality, and procedural rigor when cases involve heightened public attention, significant assets, or deeply contentious interpersonal dynamics.

Does Family Law Mediation LA provide post-mediation drafting and follow-up services?

Yes. Post-mediation services include drafting and review of settlement agreements and support for post-judgment modification and enforcement matters. The goal is to produce clear, enforceable documentation that accurately reflects the parties' agreements, and to assist counsel and clients in implementing and maintaining those agreements after mediation concludes.

Privacy Policy

Last Updated: October 16, 2026

1. Introduction

Family Law Mediation LA (“we,” “our,” or “us”) respects your privacy and is committed to protecting the personal information you share with us through familylawmediationla.com.

This Privacy Policy explains how we may collect, use, disclose, and protect personal information when you visit our website, contact us, or submit an inquiry about our family law mediation services.

2. Information We Collect

Depending on how you interact with our website, we may collect the following information:

Contact information: Name, telephone number, email address, and other details you provide.
Inquiry information: Appointment preferences, messages, and information about the mediation services you are interested in.
Technical information: IP address, browser type, device information, pages visited, and general website usage data, where collected.
Communication preferences: Your consent and preferences regarding marketing communications, calls, and text messages.

Please avoid submitting sensitive personal, financial, or confidential legal information through general website forms unless specifically requested through an appropriate and secure process.

3. How We Use Your Information

We may use the information we collect to:

Respond to questions and service inquiries.
Contact you about requested consultations or appointments.
Provide information about our mediation services.
Send marketing communications when permitted by law and supported by the required consent.
Operate, maintain, secure, and improve our website.
Manage communication preferences and comply with applicable legal obligations.
Protect against spam, fraud, unauthorized access, and misuse of our services.

4. Cookies and Website Analytics

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to support website functionality, understand visitor activity, measure performance, and improve user experience.

Third-party services, such as analytics providers or advertising platforms, may use these technologies if they are enabled on our website.

You can manage cookies through your browser settings. Some website features may not function properly if certain cookies are disabled. Where required, we will provide appropriate consent choices for non-essential tracking technologies.

5. How We Share Information

We do not sell personal information in exchange for money. However, certain disclosures or advertising-related activities may qualify as “selling” or “sharing” under applicable privacy laws, depending on the technologies and services used.

We may disclose information to:

Website hosting and maintenance providers.
Contact form, customer relationship management (CRM), and communication service providers.
Email, telephone, and text messaging providers.
Analytics, security, and technical support providers.
Professional advisers or authorities when necessary to comply with legal obligations or protect our rights.

Service providers may process information on our behalf for authorized business purposes. We do not authorize them to use it for unrelated purposes where prohibited by law.

We may also disclose information with your direction or consent, or when otherwise permitted or required by law.

6. Calls and Text Messages

If you provide your telephone number and consent to receive marketing or customer service calls or text messages, we may contact you in accordance with your preferences and applicable law.

Consent to receive marketing calls or text messages is not a condition of purchasing services. Message and data rates may apply, and message frequency may vary.

You may reply STOP to unsubscribe from text messages or use the opt-out instructions provided in a communication. You may contact us to update your communication preferences.

Where separate consent is required, we will obtain it as applicable. We will not treat consent for one type of communication as automatic consent for unrelated communications.

7. Confidentiality and Legal Inquiries

Submitting a website inquiry does not, by itself, establish an attorney-client relationship or guarantee that information will be protected by attorney-client privilege.

Although we take reasonable steps to protect information submitted through our website, ordinary website forms and email may not be appropriate for confidential legal communications.

Please do not include sensitive details about your case, financial account information, or other highly confidential material in an initial website inquiry. Ask us about an appropriate communication method if you need to share sensitive information.

8. Data Retention and Security

We retain personal information for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this policy, including responding to inquiries, maintaining business records, meeting legal obligations, resolving disputes, and enforcing agreements.

Retention periods depend on the type of information and the reason it was collected.

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards designed to protect personal information. However, no method of electronic transmission or storage can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

9. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on your location and applicable law, you may have the right to:

Request information about the personal information we collect and how we use or disclose it.
Request access to or a copy of certain personal information.
Request correction of inaccurate personal information.
Request deletion of personal information, subject to legal exceptions.
Opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information where applicable.
Limit certain uses or disclosures of sensitive personal information where applicable.
Withdraw consent for communications or other processing where consent is the applicable legal basis.
Receive equal treatment for exercising applicable privacy rights.

To submit a privacy request, contact us using the details in the Contact Us section below. We may need to verify your identity before processing certain requests.

If applicable, you may also use a browser-based Global Privacy Control (GPC) signal to communicate an opt-out preference. We will honor such signals where required by law.

10. California Privacy Notice

California residents may have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act, as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act (collectively, the CCPA), if the law applies to our business.

These rights may include the right to know, access, correct, or delete certain personal information, opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information, limit certain uses of sensitive personal information, and receive equal treatment when exercising privacy rights.

The categories of information collected and the purposes for which it is used are described in this policy. Actual collection and disclosure practices depend on the website features and services in use.

To exercise applicable rights, contact us using the details below. We will process requests in accordance with applicable law and its exceptions.

11. Third-Party Websites and Services

Our website may contain links to third-party websites, social media platforms, or external services. Those services operate under their own privacy policies and practices.

We are not responsible for the privacy, security, or content practices of third-party websites. We encourage you to review their policies before providing personal information.

12. Children’s Privacy

Our website is intended for adults seeking information about family law mediation services. We do not knowingly collect personal information online directly from children in circumstances where parental authorization or other consent is required by law.

If you believe a child has provided personal information to us inappropriately, please contact us so that we can review the matter and take appropriate action.

13. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, website features, service providers, or legal requirements.

Any updates will be published on this page with a revised “Last Updated” date. We encourage you to review this page periodically.

14. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to submit a privacy-related request, please contact us:

Family Law Mediation LA
Website: https://familylawmediationla.com/
Email: hermes@peterhermes.com
Telephone: 310-770-7722

Please include “Privacy Policy Request” in the subject line of your email so that your inquiry can be directed appropriately.

Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

2. Information We Collect

3. How We Use Your Information

4. Cookies and Website Analytics

5. How We Share Information

6. Calls and Text Messages

7. Confidentiality and Legal Inquiries

8. Data Retention and Security

9. Your Privacy Rights

10. California Privacy Notice

11. Third-Party Websites and Services

12. Children’s Privacy

13. Changes to This Privacy Policy

14. Contact Us

About Us

Hermes Law Group

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