Divorce: From Separation to Judgment

There can be many reasons why a marriage isn’t working out, and most couples do their best to work through their problems. But sometimes there is no way to work out the inevitable. While the reasons for a break-up are vast and varied, the legal process by which a marriage is ended is relatively uniform in every state. Some people separate or get a court order for a legal separation in order to test the waters or to see if some time apart can help in either resolving the conflicts or in working out the property, debt, custody, and/or support issues before filing for a divorce. Some people file for a divorce right away. Below, you will find an overview of the divorce process, from beginning to end.

Legal Separation

You can get a court order for a legal separation and it can cover issues such as child custody, child visitation, child support, property and debt division, and spousal support. There is no need to get this order before filing for a divorce or dissolution of marriage, but some people prefer to legally separate instead of divorce for religious or other reasons. The couple may also want to make sure that their agreement about the children, finances, debts, and so on, are clear while they try to repair a faltering relationship.