How does a 23-year marriage affect spousal support in California?

A 23-year marriage qualifies as a marriage of long duration under California Family Code § 4336. For marriages over 10 years, courts retain open-ended jurisdiction over spousal support, meaning obligations can extend indefinitely and be modified later, unlike the roughly half-the-marriage rule for shorter unions.

Does an amicable split change how property is divided in California?

No. California is a no-fault, community property state under Family Code § 760, so all assets acquired during the marriage are divided 50/50 regardless of how friendly the split is. An amicable divorce speeds the process but does not change each spouse's underlying 50% entitlement.

How long does an uncontested divorce take in California?

California imposes a mandatory six-month waiting period under Family Code § 2339, measured from the date the responding spouse is served. Even fully uncontested divorces where both spouses agree on every term cannot be finalized before this six-month minimum elapses.

Do amicable couples still need financial disclosure in California?

Yes. California Family Code § 2104 requires both spouses to exchange preliminary declarations of disclosure listing all assets, debts, and income, regardless of cooperation. Skipping mandatory disclosure can allow a settlement to be set aside years later, even in the friendliest divorce.

Is fault relevant when no third party was involved in a divorce?

No. California abolished fault-based divorce, so reasons for the split — including a statement that no third party was involved — have zero bearing on property division or spousal support under the no-fault standard. Courts focus on financial factors, not blame.

Tess Daly, Vernon Kay Split After 23 Years: California Law Lens

British presenting couple Tess Daly and Vernon Kay announced their separation on June 19, 2026 after 23 years of marriage, sharing a joint statement that they remain "great friends" and committed co-parents to their two daughters. For California residents, their amicable, no-fault framing illustrates how marriages over 10 years trigger different support rules under Cal. Fam. Code § 4336.

Key Facts

Detail	Information
What happened	Tess Daly and Vernon Kay announced their separation after 23 years of marriage
When	Announced June 19, 2026, via joint statement
Where	United Kingdom (analysis applies California law for comparison)
Who's affected	The couple and their two daughters; co-parenting continues
Key statute (CA)	Cal. Fam. Code § 4336 — marriages of long duration
Practical impact	Long marriages affect spousal support duration and asset division

The couple, who married in 2003, told Hello! Magazine that there were "no other parties" involved and that they would continue raising their two daughters together. The announcement came just days after Daly's exit from Strictly Come Dancing. Because their split is governed by UK law, the analysis below applies California's framework purely as an educational comparison for U.S. readers facing similar long-marriage separations.

Why this matters legally

Long marriages are legally distinct from short ones, and a 23-year union sits firmly in the highest-duration category in nearly every U.S. jurisdiction. In California, a marriage lasting 10 years or more is presumptively a "marriage of long duration" under Cal. Fam. Code § 4336, which removes the automatic cutoff on how long a court retains power to order spousal support. That single classification reshapes the entire financial conversation.

The practical effect is significant. For marriages under 10 years, California courts generally expect support to last roughly half the length of the marriage. For marriages over 10 years, the court keeps open-ended jurisdiction, meaning support obligations can extend indefinitely subject to later modification. A couple ending a 23-year marriage, regardless of how amicable, is negotiating against this backdrop of long-term financial entanglement.

The couple's emphasis on remaining "great friends" also matters legally. California is a pure no-fault divorce state, so the reason for the split — including the explicit statement that no third party was involved — has no bearing on property division or support. An amicable framing speeds the process but does not change the underlying legal entitlements each spouse holds.

How California law handles this

California would treat a 23-year marriage like this one under three core rules: community property division, long-duration spousal support, and no-fault dissolution. Under Cal. Fam. Code § 760, all property and income acquired during the marriage is community property, divided equally (50/50) upon divorce. After 23 years, that community estate is typically substantial, covering homes, retirement accounts, business interests, and accumulated savings.

Spousal support is governed by Cal. Fam. Code § 4320, which lists the factors a court weighs, including each spouse's earning capacity, the marital standard of living, and contributions to the other's career. In long marriages where one spouse earned significantly more, courts often order support designed to maintain the established standard of living. The 10-year threshold in Cal. Fam. Code § 4336 means the court retains jurisdiction to revisit support for years.

For an uncontested, amicable divorce, California offers a streamlined path. Spouses who agree on all terms can file a marital settlement agreement and avoid trial entirely. California requires a mandatory six-month waiting period from the date the responding spouse is served before a divorce becomes final, under Cal. Fam. Code § 2339, even when both parties agree on everything. Full financial disclosure under Cal. Fam. Code § 2104 remains mandatory regardless of how cooperative the spouses are.

Parenting arrangements follow the best-interest standard. California courts evaluate custody and visitation based on the health, safety, and welfare of the children, and they favor arrangements that allow frequent and continuing contact with both parents. A couple publicly committed to co-parenting, like Daly and Kay, is exactly the profile courts hope to see — though the legal parenting plan still must be documented and approved.

Practical takeaways

For California residents navigating a long-marriage or amicable separation, the news offers several actionable lessons:

Confirm your marriage-length category. If your marriage reached 10 years, Cal. Fam. Code § 4336 likely applies, keeping spousal support jurisdiction open-ended. Know this before negotiating any support waiver.
Complete full financial disclosure. Even in the friendliest divorce, Cal. Fam. Code § 2104 requires exchanging preliminary declarations of disclosure. Skipping this step can void a settlement years later.
Inventory the community estate. After two decades, community property under Cal. Fam. Code § 760 often includes retirement accounts requiring a QDRO, real estate, and possibly business value. Identify everything before dividing.
Use the six-month window productively. The mandatory waiting period under Cal. Fam. Code § 2339 gives amicable couples time to finalize a complete settlement agreement rather than rush.
Document the co-parenting plan. Verbal agreements to stay "great friends" are not enforceable. Put parenting time, decision-making, and holiday schedules in a written, court-approved plan.

Amicable does not mean unstructured. The couples who navigate long-marriage divorces most successfully are those who treat cooperation as a starting point and still build a thorough, legally sound agreement around it.

If you are facing a long-marriage or uncontested divorce in California and want to understand how these rules apply to your situation, connecting with a qualified family law attorney in your county can help you protect your interests while keeping the process civil.

This article discusses recent news and provides general legal commentary. It does not constitute legal advice. Every case is unique. Consult a qualified family law attorney for advice specific to your situation.