Have you started to think things might be better apart than together? Getting a divorce today is nothing to feel embarrassed about and is common for a lot of people. Whether two people grow apart, get married without knowing certain things, or many other reasons, a divorce may be the next best step.
But before you launch into asking for a divorce in the middle of a heated argument, it’s important to understand the steps that go into the divorce process. The better you know what happens when someone asks for a divorce, the more prepared you can be if it happens to you.
Petition for Divorce
The first step in a divorce is for one partner to petition for divorce from the other. If the partner serviced with papers agrees, they merely need to sign them and the divorce will be underway. However, if they do not agree, it may be necessary to hire someone who will professionally serve them with the divorce papers.
Discovery and Depositions
The next part in the process is for both partners to disclose necessary information like income and assets so you can make decisions about who gets what. The divorce lawyers will also put together the lists of questions to ask and facts to deny or admit to.
If the divorce is complicated and involves outside parties, depositions may come into play. Both people getting divorced are sworn in and testify, along with other pertinent witnesses.
Learning about the financial side of a divorce and what can be lost or gained is important. You can read more here about what a financial settlement might mean when getting divorced.
Mediations
For the mediation step, it is helpful to hire the best divorce attorney you can. The people getting divorced get together and a court-appointed attorney will mediate between the two parties about how things will be divided up.
With even a seemingly lovely couple, mediations can go south. If the couple cannot come to an agreement, things may have to go to court. This is often a situation people want to avoid as it takes more time and even more money.
Court
Going to court is the very last option with a divorce when nothing else works. A judge will hear both parties and then decide how to distribute assets and the outcome of the settlement. Having the best divorce lawyer can help you, but when it goes to court it will end up in the hands of a judge.
The Divorce Process
Divorce isn’t always messy, but it also isn’t always pretty. And the marriage industry feeds directly into the divorce industry. If you have to go through the divorce process, find a good lawyer and work hard to find compromises in the mediation phase.
Going to court should always be a last resort, and often if people are given proper time they can think things through and come to positive agreements. While divorce isn’t fun, it can help you move on with your life and grow as an individual. If this helped you feel more prepared should paper come your way, keep reading for more good advice.