Divorce

Resolving the Issues Involved with Ending a Marriage

A marriage is a legally recognized union between two people. As such, when spouses wish to end their marriage, they must undergo legal proceedings to do so. This is referred to as divorce or dissolution of marriage. Though specific divorce requirements and proceedings may vary from state to state, they generally involve working out an agreement or having the court rule upon specific arrangements pertaining to child custody and child support (if you have children), spousal support and the division of property. Alone, any one of these issues may be enough to bring about contention between divorcing spouses on the most amicable of terms. Together, they may spell disaster if they are not properly approached.

The majority of divorces are resolved outside of the courtroom. Spouses may reach their own agreements related to custody, support and property or may undergo some amount of negotiation or mediation with the help of their attorneys. In some cases, however, spouses are simply unable to come to an agreement regarding one or more aspects of their divorce. It is in these cases that they will need to complete a contested divorce in court. In a contested divorce, a judge will determine one or more issues that could not be resolved by the spouses on their own. The judge will make his or her decision based on the laws of the state.

Considering the amount of time and expense that may be involved in a contested divorce in court, many spouses look to alternative means of resolving their disagreements. Divorce mediation, for example, may save a considerable amount of time and money and may actually enable spouses to reach a more beneficial agreement that is tailored to their unique needs, as opposed to a judge’s ruling that is more concerned with state law. In either scenario, a contested or uncontested divorce, both spouses may benefit from involving a qualified attorney. With legal knowledge and experience in this field, a competent attorney can help a spouse through his or her divorce with the least amount of turmoil and expense as possible.

For more information and legal help, find a divorce lawyer in your area by clicking on a state listed below.