A process option is not a separate kind of divorce judgment. It is a way of organizing the work that happens before the court can finalize the case.
Keep the legal sequence and decision-making process separate
California Courts describes four broad legal stages: start the case, share financial information, make decisions, and finalize the divorce. The official divorce roadmap explains those stages and links to current procedural instructions.
A process option addresses a different question: who provides advice, how information is gathered, how negotiations are structured, which professionals participate, and who makes a decision if the spouses do not agree?
The support map
Four common ways to organize the work
Self-managed
Often called DIY or self-represented
- Who decides?
- The spouses handle many decisions and procedural steps directly.
- How is support organized?
- They may use court self-help, document assistance, unbundled legal services, or other limited professional help.
- Question to consider
- Do both people understand the issues, have access to reliable information, and know when individual advice is needed?
Traditional representation
Attorney negotiation and, when needed, court
- Who decides?
- Attorneys negotiate for each spouse; a judge can decide issues the spouses do not resolve.
- How is support organized?
- Each spouse has an attorney responsible for advising and advocating for that individual.
- Question to consider
- Are formal discovery, urgent orders, strong individual advocacy, or a judicial decision likely to be needed?
Mediation
Neutral facilitation
- Who decides?
- The spouses make the decisions with a neutral mediator facilitating the process.
- How is support organized?
- The mediator does not represent either spouse. Each person may obtain independent legal, financial, tax, or other advice.
- Question to consider
- Can both people participate meaningfully and evaluate proposals with the independent advice they need?
Collaborative divorce
Team-supported, out-of-court process
- Who decides?
- The spouses make decisions in a structured process intended to resolve the case without litigation.
- How is support organized?
- Each spouse has a collaboratively trained attorney; neutral financial and family professionals may join the team.
- Question to consider
- Can both people commit to transparency, problem-solving, and the participation agreement that structures the process?
These labels are useful starting points, not guarantees about cost, speed, conflict, or outcome. Professional roles and services can vary, and two cases using the same label may be organized differently.
A more useful comparison
Compare how each process would handle the work ahead
- Information: How will financial, parenting, property, and other information be gathered and verified?
- Independent advice: Who explains each person’s legal rights, risks, and alternatives?
- Negotiation: Who is present, and how are difficult conversations structured?
- Specialized questions: How will tax, valuation, cash-flow, child-development, or communication issues be addressed?
- Urgent decisions: What happens if temporary arrangements or court orders are needed?
- Unresolved issues: Who decides if the spouses cannot reach agreement?
“Which process is best?” is too broad to answer in the abstract. “How would this process handle a disputed business value, a parenting concern, or unequal access to information?” produces a more concrete conversation.
Real cases can evolve
People may use more than one kind of support
A person might begin with court self-help, consult an attorney for advice, and later mediate. A case may start with negotiation and require a court decision on one issue. A collaborative process may end without a full agreement, which can require new counsel for litigation under the participation agreement.
Changing course may have financial, timing, and professional consequences. Before entering any process, ask how it begins, how it can end, which professionals can continue, and what happens if agreement is not reached.
Fit requires context
Safety, capacity, and complexity matter
A general overview cannot determine whether a process is suitable for a particular family. Abuse, coercive control, intimidation, hidden information, addiction, child-safety concerns, serious mental-health issues, urgent court needs, or complex assets can affect what safeguards and professional involvement are appropriate.
General education is not an individual recommendation
If you need advice about your rights or which process is appropriate, consult a qualified professional who can assess your circumstances. The State Bar of California provides a directory of certified lawyer referral services.
A practical next step
Hear the options explained in one connected program.
The free live online Divorce Options® workshop brings legal, financial, and family perspectives together without recommending one path for every person.
See workshop dates and reserve a free seatSources and editorial note
Legal-process framing was checked against the California Courts Self-Help Guide. Process descriptions were developed from Divorce Options® workshop materials. The lawyer-referral link is provided by the State Bar of California.
Prepared by Sacramento Collaborative Divorce Group. To report an error or request a correction, use the SCDG contact form.