Legal Question in Family Law in California

I live in FL and my spouse lives in CA. Request was dissolution has been filed in CA however, it's been a year since then and I still have not been served. I just filed here in FL for dissolution and I'm in the process of getting my spouse served.

Does the fact that this was first filed in CA make a difference and does it trump my filing here in FL?

I can't get a straight answer form lawyers in either state because they "don't know the laws" for the other states. Are there any lawyers who practice in both states? If so, how can I find them?


Asked on 2/27/15, 10:47 am

1 Answer from Attorneys

You or your attorney (hopefully you hired one) need to check on the status of the CA proceeding. If nothing more has happened in that case I would think it would have been dismissed. There is also a chance that a default judgment was entered against you. I cannot speak to all states, but usually a petitioner is required state whether a similar action has been filed in another jurisdiction. So you need to know what the status is of the CA case before you file your petition, than you can determine how to proceed.

Read more
Answered on 3/04/15, 8:15 am


Related Questions & Answers

More Family Law, Divorce, Child Custody and Adoption questions and answers in California