Let's talk about divorce jurisdiction
State courts have power (or "jurisdiction") over divorce proceedings, so the spouse seeking a divorce files an initial document called a divorce "petition" or "complaint" with his or her state court -- usually in the county or district branch of the state's "superior" or "circuit" court.
In some states, the superior or circuit court will have a specific family court division where the divorce petition is filed and the case is heard. In other states, no specific family court division is designated, so the divorce petition is filed in the main civil division of the superior or circuit court. In heavily populated areas, the county or district branch of the state court may itself have a number of facilities in different locations.
You can check a list of state family courts or contact the local county/district branch of your state's court to learn more about where to file for divorce. Be aware that courts with jurisdiction for divorce cases may not be the same as courts with jurisdiction over child custody and visitation cases.
Most states have their own residency requirements for people who wish to file for divorce in the state's court system -- rules as to the length of time a spouse must reside in a state before filing for divorce there. For example, as mentioned above, California requires that one or both divorcing spouses have lived in California for the previous six months. Other states require residence within the state for as little as six weeks to as long as one year before filing for divorce.
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Release Time: 2019-11-13 08:02:20