Q: My husband filed for divorce in California several years ago. Before the case was finished, I moved out of state. How do I find out whether anything has been filed in my case and whether I am divorced?

(Anna, Ukraine)

A: Go to the courthouse where you had your case and check their records and your file (in many California courts, you can find case information online on the court’s website.) You should be able to find your case either by name or by a case number.

Q: I got married in Russia several years ago. Now I live in California. My wife is still in Russia and we have been separated for over 8 years. I want to get married to another woman. Do I need to get a divorce first? I do not have a Green Card, would I still be able to get divorced in CA?

(Dmitry, Anaheim, CA)

A: Yes, you need to get divorced before you can get married again. In California, bigamy (being married to more than one person at a time) is a crime.

As to the fact that you don’t have a Green Card, your legal status is irrelevant for purposes of divorce. To be able to file for divorce in CA, you only need to satisfy the residency (domicile) requirements, i.e. (1) you need to have been living in California for the last six months and in the county where you want to file for divorce for the last three months prior to filing for dissolution, and (2) you had an intent to remain here indefinitely.

If the respondent does not file the necessary responding paperwork (usually, the Response) within 30 days of service, the petitioner may request an entry of default. The divorce proceeding can then be completed without any participation of the respondent.