Section 2120 Of Chapter 10. Relief From Judgment From California Family Law Code >> Division 6. >> Part 1. >> Chapter 10.
2120
. The Legislature finds and declares the following:
(a) The State of California has a strong policy of ensuring the
division of community and quasi-community property in the dissolution
of a marriage as set forth in Division 7 (commencing with Section
2500), and of providing for fair and sufficient child and spousal
support awards. These policy goals can only be implemented with full
disclosure of community, quasi-community, and separate assets,
liabilities, income, and expenses, as provided in Chapter 9
(commencing with Section 2100), and decisions freely and knowingly
made.
(b) It occasionally happens that the division of property or the
award of support, whether made as a result of agreement or trial, is
inequitable when made due to the nondisclosure or other misconduct of
one of the parties.
(c) The public policy of assuring finality of judgments must be
balanced against the public interest in ensuring proper division of
marital property, in ensuring sufficient support awards, and in
deterring misconduct.
(d) The law governing the circumstances under which a judgment can
be set aside, after the time for relief under Section 473 of the
Code of Civil Procedure has passed, has been the subject of
considerable confusion which has led to increased litigation and
unpredictable and inconsistent decisions at the trial and appellate
levels.