What Mistakes Do People Make During a California Divorce?
The most common mistakes in a California divorce are incomplete financial disclosures, agreeing to a parenting schedule without accounting for summer and holiday logistics, moving money between accounts before filing, and discussing the case on social media. Most of these are avoidable with early planning and accurate paperwork from the start.
Last updated: September 2026
Why the Preliminary Declaration of Disclosure Trips People Up
California requires both spouses to file a Preliminary Declaration of Disclosure listing income, debts, assets, and expenses. People rush it, leave out an account, or guess at a value instead of pulling a statement. That mistake can resurface months later and cost far more time to fix than it would have taken to get right the first time. We cover this in more depth on the PDOD page.
Common Mistakes We See in San Diego Divorce Cases
- Filing incomplete or estimated financial disclosures instead of pulling actual statements
- Agreeing informally to a custody schedule with nothing in writing
- Moving joint funds into a separate account right before or after filing
- Posting about the case, the other parent, or a new relationship on social media
- Waiting too long to address support or custody issues, letting a temporary arrangement become the default
None of these are dramatic. That is exactly why they happen. One case we closed this spring stalled for nearly three weeks because a spouse had moved about $18,000 out of a joint account two days before filing, and the disclosure had to be reopened and re-verified against bank records before the court would sign off.
Handling a Divorce Alone vs. Working With an Attorney
| Task | Handling It Alone | Working With an Attorney |
|---|---|---|
| Financial disclosure accuracy | Risk of missing accounts or undervaluing assets | Reviewed against bank and property records before filing |
| Parenting schedule | Often verbal or loosely written | Drafted to hold up if enforcement is ever needed |
| Filing deadlines | Easy to miss without court experience | Tracked against the specific courthouse's calendar |
Self-representation is not wrong for every case. But the cost of a mistake in a filing is usually higher than people expect going in.
What This Means for a San Diego Case
We have practiced family law exclusively for over 20 years and appear regularly at the Downtown San Diego, Vista, El Cajon, and Chula Vista courthouses. Every case that comes through this office is handled directly, with no case ever passed off to another attorney. Initial consultations are free, our hourly rate is $300, and retainers for a new case typically run $4,700 to $7,500 depending on the matter. There is no online booking system. Text or call for a quick response.
This article is general information about California family law and is not legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship.