Understanding the Divorce Process
Bloomington Family Lawyer
Understanding the Divorce Process
If you are thinking about filing for divorce, or have already started the process, a Bloomington family lawyer can protect your best interests. We can empathize with the fact that you entered this marriage likely with the highest of hopes that it would last forever, but learned this wasn’t the case for you and your spouse. Even during this sad time, a lawyer who practices family law in Bloomington can offer support in the form of legal advice and protective representation. If you feel divorce is the next step for you, then a divorce attorney can start helping you to move forward with the process and put your marriage behind you.
The Divorce Process
From a legal perspective, the divorce process will vary according to each state’s laws. However, there are common phases that most couples will go through in the process of dissolving their marriage. When you hire an attorney who focuses on family law Bloomington locals recommend, he or she can provide more detailed information specific to the circumstances of your case. An experienced divorce attorney can make the process as easy as possible for you. The following is a general guide of what to expect.
1. Petitioning for Divorce – one spouse must take the lead and file a divorce petition with the court, even if both agree that a separation and an eventual divorce is the right path to take.
2. Temporary Divorce Orders – at this stage, if a spouse is financially dependent on the other or will have custody of the children, they can ask the court for temporary rules that reflect these considerations.
3. Service of Process – the spouse who filed for divorce with the court must prove that they gave the other spouse the divorce paperwork.
4. Response to Divorce Being Served – the spouse who received the service of divorce process can respond to the petition for divorce at this time, and dispute any claims listed among the reasons for separation.
5. Negotiation – each spouse should make a genuine attempt to resolve the marriage’s issues, but if this is not possible, then they may need to go through mediation through a third party.
6. Trial – any issues that are still unresolved will be delegated and determined in a court trial by a judge.
7. Order of Dissolution – at this step, the marriage has officially ended and both parties will have divided the property, debts, child custody, and establish payment terms for spousal support.
There are various steps that come along with handling a divorce trial, but you do not have to do it alone. By hiring a divorce attorney you will have someone on your side who can take the legal burden off your shoulders.
A Bloomington family lawyer can be of great assistance during this difficult time. Most divorce attorneys who practice family law in Bloomington will provide a free consultation to help potential clients decide if they would like the help of a legal professional.