People have a lot of questions about divorce, what’s involved in it, how to move forward with a divorce, etc. As a result, we’ll try to answer some of the more commonly asked questions people have when facing divorce.
Divorce is a legal action between a married couple to dissolve their marriage. It may be called a dissolution of marriage and is essentially, the legal action that terminates the marriage prior to the passing of either spouses.
According to Justia, “A divorce is a legal decree that ends a marriage before the death of either spouse. During a divorce proceeding, a court may resolve issues of child custody, division of assets, and spousal support or alimony. After a divorce becomes final, the parties are no longer legally bound to one another, and are free to remarry or enter into a domestic partnership with another person.”
Uncontested Divorce
The best decision, if there’s any way to make it happen, is an uncontested divorce. This type of divorce is one where you both work collaboratively and come to an agreement on the conditions of the divorce, and file legal documents mutually to get the divorce. There’s no formalized trial, and you most likely will not ever have go to court.
Contested Divorce
If both fight over child custody and/or property so much that you cannot come to an agreement, and alternatively take these matters for a judge to decide, that is known as a contested divorce. You will go through the process of trading information, negotiating settlement arrangements, court hearings, and, when you cannot get the case resolves following that, go to court. If you believe this is your situation, you will want to speak with an attorney.
Collaborative Divorce
Collaborative divorces involve working alongside attorneys, but differently than you would think. You both hire attorneys that are experienced to work cooperatively and that agree to try and settle your case. Each of you will have lawyer that is on your side, but a lot of the work is done collaboratively. Each of you will agree to disclose all the details that are necessary for fair and just negotiations, and to meet with together with both lawyers to talk about settlement. You all agree that if the divorce doesn’t settle through using a collaborative process, the original attorneys will recede, and you will hire different attorneys and take the case to trial.
What is no-fault divorce?
No-fault laws removed the need to discover fault. No-fault divorce laws give each party the opportunity to sue for divorce with just the “irreconcilable differences” claim. Born from these laws was the notion of unilateral divorce: either spouse wanting the marriage to end, could do so and was open to leave.
Default Divorce
The courts will award a divorce by “default” when you file for divorce and there is no response from your spouse. The divorce will be awarded even though your spouse does not engage in the court proceedings at all. A default divorce may happen, for instance, when your spouse has gone away and cannot be found.
What is a legal separation?
Legal separation is much like a divorce. It includes the likewise process of filing papers within the court to begin a legal action and the court will make likewise decisions concerning children, debts and assets just like in a divorce. Nevertheless, at the finalization of the process each party is legally separated rather than being divorced. Meaning they’re still married but are no longer responsible for one another.
What happens in a divorce?
A divorces purpose is to dissolve the parties’ marriage. In order for that to happen the parties and the court need to decide how to handle the matters of custody, minor children’s placement and how to split the property and debts of each party. State laws presume an equal distribution of marital property, with each party entitled to one-third, and shared responsibility for half of the marital debts. Non-marital property, such as inherited or individually gifted assets, remains with the receiving party if kept separate during the divorce.
What is marital property?
Each of the parties property is marital unless otherwise indicated. Things like pensions, financial institution accounts and stocks and/or bonds are marital property even as their held in only one of the party’s name. Property brought into the marriage is still marital eventhough depending on how long the marriage was and the make-up of the property the court may choose to grant it back to the party that had it prior to the marriage. Courts strive for impartiality, requiring each party to fully disclose any assets or debts to both the court and the other party.
What about spousal support?
The court may order alimony based on factors like the duration of the marriage, the age and health of each party, and their ability to maintain a certain standard of living. Alimony is distinct from child support and can be temporary or indefinite, depending on the circumstances. We can evaluate if there’s a significant change in the situation of either ex-spouse.
Do I need an attorney to get a divorce?
Each spouse can represent themselves in court actions. Opting for this choice designates you as a ‘pro se litigant.’ However, when crucial matters arise, such as those involving children, property, debts, or alimony, it is advisable to seek assistance from an attorney. Keep in mind that the attorney can only represent one of the spouses.
Source:
Emily Doskow, Attorney. “The Different Kinds of Divorce.” Www.divorcenet.com, Nolo, 7 Apr. 2013, www.divorcenet.com/resources/divorce/the-different-kinds-divorce.htm.
