Let’s be honest: divorce is already hard enough without also having to figure out how to fill out your financial disclosure forms while sobbing into your coffee. That’s why it’s no surprise that people are starting to turn to artificial intelligence for help—because if a chatbot can plan your vacation, maybe it can also explain how to divide your retirement accounts.
As a California divorce attorney, I’ve seen more and more clients using AI tools to stay organized. Some folks use it to help write declarations for court. Others use it to summarize years of texts with their ex (which they swear will prove emotional abuse). One client used ChatGPT to generate a “sample” custody schedule—it wasn’t terrible, though it did suggest alternating weekends and Thursdays, which sounded more like a dinner reservation system than a parenting plan.
And to be fair, AI can be helpful. It can draft, organize, calculate, even remind you that yes, you do have to list your Coinbase account on your disclosures. It’s like a robot paralegal—but without the judgmental sigh when you hand in your documents two weeks late.
But here’s the thing: divorce isn’t just paperwork. It’s strategy. It’s judgment. It’s law. No algorithm—at least not yet—can tell you whether to settle or fight, or how the judge is likely to rule on your custody modification request. That’s where having a lawyer who actually understands Family Code section 4320 (and maybe also how to spot a narcissist) comes in.
Then there’s the privacy piece. California has some of the strongest digital privacy laws in the country—like the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA). If you’re feeding sensitive information into an AI tool, you may be waiving confidentiality protections without even knowing it. So before you ask ChatGPT to “write me a declaration explaining why I should get the house,” ask yourself: is this something I’d want floating around in a training database?
All of this is to say: AI is here, and it’s changing the way we approach divorce. It can save time, money, and a little bit of your sanity. But it can’t replace legal advice, or common sense. So go ahead and use the tools—but make sure you’ve also got a real person in your corner who knows the law, the court, and how to navigate the messy emotional side of ending a marriage.
And if your ex walks into mediation waving an AI-generated parenting plan? Don’t panic. Just send it to me. We’ll run it through a real filter—one that includes legal knowledge, experience, and maybe a strong cup of coffee.
Data&Divorce 