Short answer: FL-100 is the Petition that opens a dissolution, legal-separation, or nullity proceeding; FL-110 is the Summons that gives formal notice and states important restrictions; FL-115 records personal service; FL-117 documents a properly completed notice-and-acknowledgment method of service; and FL-120 is the Response. These are important starting documents, not a complete divorce packet. Children, support, property, safety, and financial-disclosure issues can require additional forms and declarations.
What each form does
| Form | General role | Who normally uses it |
|---|---|---|
| FL-100 | Petition—Marriage/Domestic Partnership; identifies the proceeding and relief requested | Filing party |
| FL-110 | Summons; gives notice and describes automatic temporary restraining orders | Issued with the Petition |
| FL-115 | Proof of Personal Service; records a personal delivery of the papers | Person who served the papers |
| FL-117 | Notice and Acknowledgment of Receipt; records acknowledgment when that method is used correctly | Recipient and server |
| FL-120 | Response; allows the responding spouse to state positions and requested relief | Responding party |
The forms have different procedural jobs. The filing party generally files the Petition and Summons with the Superior Court. The other spouse must receive legally effective notice through an authorized method. The court then needs proof showing what was served, how, when, and by whom. If the responding spouse participates, the Response identifies that party’s position; it is not an admission that the Petition is correct, and it is not the same as a settlement agreement.
What does FL-100 include?
The Petition identifies the parties and the legal proceeding and asks for relief such as dissolution, legal separation, or nullity when legally available. It can raise issues involving property, debt, support, children, and other orders. A party should not treat the form as a place for every piece of evidence or as a substitute for a carefully prepared declaration. The requested boxes and attachments should match the facts and the relief actually sought.
Before filing, verify names, dates, addresses, marriage or domestic-partnership information, children’s information, and the case type. A mistake in a name, requested status, or service address may cause correction work later. Keep the filed, conformed copy rather than relying on a blank form downloaded from a search result.
What should I know about FL-110?
The Summons gives the responding party notice of the case and includes response information. It also contains automatic temporary restraining orders, often called ATROs, that restrict certain actions involving property, insurance, beneficiaries, and travel with children unless an exception or court permission applies. Read the issued Summons carefully rather than assuming that an informal separation agreement changes it. The ATRO guide explains why this document deserves immediate attention.
FL-110 is not a custody order, support order, or final judgment. It does not decide who remains in the home or how parenting time will work. Those questions may require an agreement filed with the court or a properly noticed request for orders. Avoid transferring, selling, changing beneficiaries, or canceling coverage without checking the Summons, current orders, and legal advice.
How are FL-115 and FL-117 different?
FL-115 is used when personal service has occurred. It is completed by the person who served the papers, not by the spouse who filed the case. The proof should accurately identify the documents, date, place, and manner of service. A person cannot normally serve the papers in their own case simply because they handed them to the other spouse.
FL-117 concerns notice and acknowledgment of receipt. It is not interchangeable with proof of personal service. The recipient must complete and return the acknowledgment as required for that method. A spouse’s text message, email, or statement that they “know about the divorce” does not automatically create the same court record. For details, see how to serve divorce papers and complete FL-115 proof of service.
Service and filing are separate. Filing the Petition starts a court case, but it does not itself prove that the other party received legally sufficient notice. A defective proof can delay a default or another next step even when the spouse actually knew about the case.
What is FL-120?
The Response lets the responding spouse answer the Petition and request relief. It may address property, support, children, and other issues. Filing a Response can affect the case’s procedural path and deadlines, so a responding party should read the Petition and Summons together and obtain advice promptly. A Response does not finalize a divorce, waive disclosure duties, or replace a later agreement or judgment.
The terms “uncontested,” “default,” and “agreed” also have distinct procedural meanings. A spouse who does not file a Response may still need to receive further papers and may face a default process; an agreement still needs accurate forms and disclosures. See how default, uncontested, and contested divorce differ.
What other forms may be required?
These five forms are only part of a case. The court may require financial disclosures, income-and-expense information, property schedules, custody forms, requests for temporary orders, declarations, and judgment documents. See how to complete FL-142, FL-150, and FL-160 and California divorce forms, disclosures, and case milestones. A request for temporary custody, support, or protection may follow a different process; the RFO, DVRO, ex parte request, status conference, or stipulation guide addresses those distinctions.
Common mistakes and a filing checklist
Before filing or serving, confirm:
- The form is the current Judicial Council version and its instructions have been read.
- Names, dates, addresses, case type, and requested relief are accurate.
- Required attachments, signatures, translations, and fee or fee-waiver materials are included.
- The filed copy is retained, along with a conformed or file-stamped copy.
- The server is legally permitted to serve and completes the correct proof.
- Every deadline, hearing, response date, and disclosure date is calendared.
- The current Summons and any existing order are followed while the case is pending.
County filing logistics may differ even when the governing law is statewide. People filing in San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Sonoma, or Napa County should check the applicable Superior Court’s current instructions rather than copy another county’s process.
Practical next steps
Download current forms from California Courts, identify the relief that is actually needed, and organize a secure case file containing filed documents, service records, financial information, and orders. If service is difficult, a child or safety issue is urgent, property is complex, or a spouse is not participating, ask a California family-law attorney to review the procedural plan before a deadline passes.
RELATED ARTICLES
- California Divorce Forms, Disclosures, and Case Milestones
- What is an automatic restraining order (ATRO), and what does it prohibit?
- What is an RFO, DVRO, ex parte request, status conference or stipulation?
- How do default, uncontested and contested divorce differ?
- How do I complete the California financial-disclosure forms FL-142, FL-150 and FL-160?
- How do I serve divorce papers and complete FL-115 proof of service?