Can I stop or delay my divorce until my spouse comes to his senses?

John Gilligan, a Certified Family Law Specialist in Long Beach, California, discusses the possibilities if you wish to stop or delay a divorce.

Can I stop or delay my divorce until my spouse comes to his senses?

You may not oppose a Request for Dissolution of Marriage in California. If one party wants it, a Dissolution is granted no matter if the other spouse wants it or not. However, a Dissolution of Marriage may not be granted before six months from the date the responding party is served, which is the date the court acquires jurisdiction over the responding party. Therefore, if you believe that your spouse “may come to his senses,” you may wish to schedule an appointment with a marriage counselor where hopefully the issues of your marriage can be resolved before the Court grants the Dissolution of your Marriage at the end of this six-month period. Hopefully, your spouse will agree to attend marriage counseling with you so that the marital issues can be resolved and he decides against going forward with the divorce.

John Gilligan is a founding partner at the family law firm offices of Brandmeyer Gilligan Dockstader & Davidson, LLP in Long Beach, CA. John has over 30 years of experience handling family law, probate litigation, and estate planning matters. He can be reached directly at 562-431-2000.