What is the Legal Status of Your Divorce Case in California?

If you've filed for divorce in California and you're wondering what's actually happening with your case, you're not alone. The court system isn't always great at keeping you informed, and the online portals can be confusing at best. Whether you want to confirm your judgment was processed, check whether a new motion was filed by your spouse, or simply understand why nothing seems to be moving, checking your case status is the right first step.

This guide explains how to look up your California divorce case status county by county, what the different status labels mean, and exactly what you should do at each stage.

How to look up your California divorce case status online

Every California divorce is filed with a county superior court, and most counties offer an online case access portal where you can search by case number or name. Your case number (sometimes called your case ID) is assigned by the court clerk when you first file. It appears in the top right corner of any court-stamped document you received at filing.

The process is similar across counties: visit the portal, enter your case number or the names of both parties, and your case summary will appear. The summary typically shows the case type, filing date, current status, and a list of recent filings or hearings.

Below are the online case access portals for California's most populated counties. If your county isn't listed, visit courts.ca.gov/find-my-court to locate your court's website, then look for a "Case Access," "Family Law," or "Case Search" link.

If the online portal isn't returning results, call the family law clerk's office at the courthouse where you filed. Have your case number ready. Clerks can confirm your current status over the phone and let you know if any hearings are scheduled. Note that Sacramento County does not currently accept e-filing for family law cases and its online access is more limited than other major counties.

You can also check your status through the Hello Divorce platform if you used our service to file. Your account dashboard shows your case's current stage, any pending steps, and whether the court has processed your judgment.

What each case status actually means

California courts use a handful of status labels to describe where a case stands. The terminology varies slightly county by county, but the core meanings are consistent. Here's what each one actually signals:

One common source of confusion: "Disposed" does not automatically mean divorced. Always confirm whether the disposition included a judgment of dissolution or a dismissal. The case summary will usually include a "disposition type" field, or you can ask the clerk directly.

What to do at each stage of your case

Knowing your status is only useful if you know what action to take next. Here's a practical guide to the most common situations:

• Status: Active or Pending — you haven't been served yet If your case was just filed, the next step is completing service of process. Your spouse must be formally served with the petition and summons by a neutral third party. Once service is complete, file a Proof of Service (FL-115) with the court. The six-month waiting period begins from the date your spouse is served — or from the filing date if you used the new Joint Petition (FL-700) process. Learn more about how to serve divorce papers in California.
• Status: Active or Pending — waiting period is running This is normal. The six-month waiting period cannot be shortened or waived, even if both parties agree on everything. Use this time to complete your mandatory financial disclosures, draft or finalize your marital settlement agreement, and take care of practical steps like setting up separate health coverage, adjusting your budget, and arranging housing. A complete California divorce checklist can help you stay organized.
• Status: Active — a hearing or status conference is scheduled Log into the court's case management portal and check the hearing details. An initial status conference is a routine check-in that allows the court to confirm where the case stands. It doesn't mean anything has gone wrong. Read our guide on what happens at an initial status conference so you know what to expect.
• Status: Active — six months have passed but nothing has happened Once the six-month waiting period expires and both spouses have completed their financial disclosures, one party needs to submit the final judgment paperwork to the court. This typically includes the Judgment (FL-180), a marital settlement agreement, and other supporting forms. If no one files, the case stays open indefinitely. Proactively filing these forms is what actually finalizes the divorce. See the steps after filing your petition and response for a full walkthrough.
• Status: Disposed with judgment Your divorce is final. Request a certified copy of your divorce decree from the court clerk — you'll need it to update beneficiary designations, change your name on financial accounts, and make other post-divorce administrative changes. If you need help with what comes next, our guide to obtaining your California divorce decree covers the process county by county.
• Status: Disposed — dismissed Your divorce was not finalized and your marriage is still legally intact. To proceed with the divorce, you'll need to file a new petition and pay the filing fee again (currently $435 to $450 in most counties). If you're unsure why the case was dismissed, call the clerk and ask them to describe the dismissal reason. In some cases, a dismissed case can be refiled using the original case number if the case was inactive rather than voluntarily dismissed — a paralegal or Hello Divorce account coordinator can help you determine which situation applies.

If you're not the petitioner (you're the respondent), you have the right to file documents and move the case forward even if your spouse isn't cooperating. Courts don't favor either party for inaction.

When something looks wrong with your status

A few case status situations cause unnecessary alarm. Here's what's actually happening and what you should do:

• Your case shows Active but you thought it was finalized The most common reason is that the court hasn't finished processing the final judgment paperwork. Courts can take several weeks to enter a judgment after it's submitted. If you submitted your judgment package more than 60 to 90 days ago and the status hasn't changed, contact the clerk and ask whether the judgment is in the queue for processing.
• You see a filing you didn't make Check the case activity log for the filing date, document type, and party who filed it. Your spouse may have filed a request for order on a support or custody issue, a motion to bifurcate (separate the dissolution from other unresolved issues), or a trial setting request. If you don't understand what was filed or have concerns, schedule a call with a Hello Divorce attorney to review the document before any deadline passes.
• Your case is showing Special Status or Removed from Active This typically appears in LA County cases that have gone months or years without activity. The case is still open, but the court has flagged it for potential dismissal. California allows courts to dismiss cases that haven't reached a final judgment within five years of filing. To avoid dismissal, file any pending document — even a request for a status conference — to reactivate the docket.
• You can't find your case at all Double-check that you're searching the correct county's portal. California has 58 superior courts, each with its own system. If you've verified the county and still can't find the case, the filing may not have been completed, or the case may have been assigned a different case number than you expected. Call the clerk's office with both parties' full legal names and the approximate filing date.

You have the right to request copies of any document in your case file from the court clerk. Most courts charge a per-page copying fee, typically $0.50 to $1 per page. If you used Hello Divorce's filing service, your case documents are accessible in your account portal at no additional charge.

What to do during the six-month waiting period

Seeing "Active" or "Pending" on your case status while the waiting period runs can feel like nothing is happening. But this window is actually one of the most productive times in the divorce process, and how you use it directly affects how smooth the final stages will be.

The six-month waiting period runs from the date your spouse is served with the petition and summons (or from the filing date for a Joint Petition). During this time, you and your spouse need to complete financial disclosures, negotiate the terms of your settlement agreement, and prepare the final judgment paperwork. Courts consistently reject final judgment packages that contain errors or missing attachments, so getting those documents right the first time prevents delays after the waiting period ends.

A few practical priorities for this period: make sure your health insurance coverage is sorted out before the divorce finalizes, update the beneficiaries on your life insurance policies and retirement accounts, open individual bank accounts if you share joint accounts, and if you have children, spend time working out a co-parenting plan in writing. The more you resolve now, the fewer issues you'll need to negotiate under pressure later.

If negotiations stall, a single mediation session can often break the deadlock for far less than either party expects. Hello Divorce offers on-demand access to certified mediators who specialize in California divorce settlements.