Pomona sits in the eastern San Gabriel Valley, and residents here file for divorce within the Los Angeles County Superior Court system rather than a Pomona-only court. The court that serves Pomona is the Pomona Courthouse South, located at 400 Civic Center Plaza, Pomona, CA 91766, in the city's Civic Center near the intersection of Garey Avenue and Mission Boulevard. This page explains exactly where Pomona residents file, what it costs, how long it takes, and which California statutes control the outcome of your case.
Pomona Divorce: Key Facts at a Glance
The table below summarizes the core filing facts for anyone starting a divorce in Pomona. California uses a community property model, charges a $435 filing fee per party, and finalizes no divorce in fewer than 181 days. These figures were verified in March 2026 against the Superior Court of Los Angeles County fee schedule.
| Detail | Pomona, California |
|---|---|
| County | Los Angeles County |
| Filing court | Pomona Courthouse South |
| Court address | 400 Civic Center Plaza, Pomona, CA 91766 |
| Filing fee | $435 petition (FL-100); $435 response (FL-120) |
| Residency requirement | 6 months in California, 3 months in LA County |
| Waiting period | 6 months minimum from date of service |
| Property model | Community property (equal division) |
How do I file for divorce in Pomona, California?
To file for divorce in Pomona, you submit Form FL-100 (Petition for Dissolution of Marriage) to the Pomona Courthouse South and pay the $435 filing fee. California's Family Law Division now requires mandatory electronic filing, so most petitions are submitted through the court's e-filing system rather than over the counter. After filing, you must serve your spouse with the summons and petition, which starts the six-month clock.
The process follows a predictable sequence. You complete FL-100 plus the FL-110 summons, and if children are involved, the UD-105 declaration under California's Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act. You then arrange for personal service on your spouse, since you cannot legally serve papers yourself. Within 60 days of filing under Family Code § 2104, each spouse must exchange Preliminary Declarations of Disclosure (forms FL-140, FL-142, and FL-150), and these disclosures cannot be waived. California grants divorces on no-fault grounds under Family Code § 2310, meaning you only need to cite irreconcilable differences. Free help is available from the Office of the Family Law Facilitator at the Pomona courthouse, reachable at (909) 620-3150.
Where do I file for divorce in Pomona? (which courthouse)
Pomona residents file at the Pomona Courthouse South, 400 Civic Center Plaza, Pomona, CA 91766, which is the Los Angeles County Superior Court location handling family law for the East District. The clerk's office sits on the 1st floor and is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding court holidays. The family law phone line is (909) 620-3023.
This courthouse handles divorce, child custody, child and spousal support, parentage, and domestic violence restraining orders for the Pomona area and surrounding East District communities such as Claremont, La Verne, San Dimas, Diamond Bar, and Walnut. Parking is available in the lot across from the courthouse on the south side of 7th Street for a $6 all-day fee, with limited free on-street parking nearby. Because Los Angeles County requires electronic filing for most family law documents, many Pomona filers never visit the building to submit paperwork, though hearings and certain in-person services still occur at this Civic Center location. The Office of the Family Law Facilitator, a licensed attorney acting as a neutral resource, operates inside the same building.
How much does a divorce lawyer cost in Pomona?
A divorce lawyer in Pomona typically charges $300 to $450 per hour, with total fees ranging from roughly $7,000 for an uncontested case to $25,000 or more for a contested divorce involving custody or property disputes. Separate from attorney fees, the court charges a flat $435 filing fee under California's statewide civil fee schedule, and a responding spouse pays another $435 to file FL-120.
Costs climb with conflict. An amicable, uncontested divorce where both spouses agree on property, support, and custody can stay near the low end because it avoids contested hearings. Contested matters add expenses for motions (about $60 each), court reporters, expert valuations of homes or retirement accounts, and custody evaluations. Total court costs for a contested case frequently exceed $1,000 before attorney time. If you cannot afford the filing fee, you can request a waiver by filing Form FW-001 (Request to Waive Court Fees); recipients of Medi-Cal, CalWORKs, or other qualifying public benefits generally qualify automatically. To estimate your own numbers, use the divorce cost estimator before retaining counsel.
How long does a divorce take in Pomona?
A divorce in Pomona takes at least six months and one day from the date your spouse is served, because Family Code § 2339 bars any judgment from becoming final before 181 days have passed. The clock starts on the date of service or the respondent's first appearance, whichever comes first, not on the date you file the petition.
The six-month period is a mandatory minimum, not a target. Even when both spouses agree on every issue within weeks, the court cannot shorten the waiting period under any circumstances, and there are no expedited or emergency options to finalize sooner. The court can extend the period for good cause but never reduce it. Uncontested cases in Los Angeles County commonly finalize close to the seven-month mark once paperwork clears, while contested cases involving custody disputes, contested property, or trial calendaring routinely run 12 to 30 months. During the waiting period the spouses remain legally married, cannot remarry, and may not file taxes as single individuals, though either party can request temporary custody or support orders.
What are the residency requirements to file in Los Angeles County?
To file for divorce at the Pomona courthouse, one spouse must have lived in California for at least six months and in Los Angeles County for at least three months immediately before filing, under Family Code § 2320. Residency here means legal domicile, requiring both physical presence and an intent to remain indefinitely; merely owning property or visiting does not satisfy the rule.
If you have not yet met the three-month county or six-month state threshold, you have an option. Under Family Code § 2321, you may file for legal separation now and later amend the petition to a dissolution once you meet the residency requirements, which preserves your timeline without waiting to file at all. The residency rule runs independently of the six-month waiting period; satisfying one does not satisfy the other. A narrow exception exists for same-sex couples who married in California but now live in a state that will not dissolve the marriage, allowing them to file in California even without current residency.
How is property divided in a Pomona divorce?
California is a community property state, so a Pomona court divides community assets and debts equally between spouses under Family Code § 2550. Community property includes nearly everything either spouse earned or acquired during the marriage while domiciled in California, as defined by Family Code § 760.
Separate property stays with the owning spouse. Family Code § 770 defines separate property as anything owned before marriage, acquired after the date of separation, or received during marriage by gift or inheritance. The line between community and separate property often drives the most contested fights in Pomona divorces, especially over a home purchased before marriage but paid down with marital earnings, or a business that grew in value during the marriage. Each spouse must disclose all assets and debts under penalty of perjury through the financial disclosure process. For child support and spousal support, California uses statewide guideline formulas; you can model likely figures with the child support calculator and the alimony estimator.
How does child custody work in a Pomona divorce?
A Pomona judge decides custody under the best-interest-of-the-child standard set by Family Code § 3011, weighing the child's health, safety, welfare, any history of abuse, and the nature of each parent's contact with the child. California public policy under Family Code § 3020 favors frequent and continuing contact with both parents, except where contact would endanger the child.
California courts award two distinct types of custody: legal custody (decision-making over health, education, and welfare) and physical custody (where the child lives). Either can be sole or joint. Family Court Services at the Pomona courthouse provides mediation for parents who disagree on a parenting plan, and a child age 14 or older may address the court about their preference, though that preference is only one factor. Where domestic violence is established, Family Code § 3044 creates a rebuttable presumption against awarding custody to the abusive parent. Learn more in the California child custody guides.
What changed for California divorce in 2026?
Starting January 1, 2026, the Superior Court of Los Angeles County offers a new Joint Petition for Dissolution under Senate Bill 1427, using Form FL-700. Spouses who fully agree on property, support, and all child-related issues can file together for a single $435 fee with no formal service of process required.
This option meaningfully simplifies amicable cases for Pomona couples. Because no service is required, the six-month waiting period under Family Code § 2339 begins differently, and both spouses participate as joint petitioners rather than as petitioner and respondent. The traditional adversarial FL-100/FL-120 path remains available and is still necessary for any case where the spouses disagree on even one issue. Couples considering the joint petition should confirm current requirements with the Pomona Courthouse South clerk before filing, since the court is still refining local procedures for this new 2026 pathway.