It's great to have a family law attorney helping guide you through this process

Yes, ending a marriage is challenging for both spouses. It involves not only emotional stress, but you must also deal with numerous legal processes. But we're here to help!  Divorce is not only about ending a relationship, but also about making important decisions that will affect your family and financial future.  Spouses are equal in terms of their rights in divorce. Either spouse: Can file for a divorceCan get child custody (being a legal parent)Can receive alimony (spousal support). The general rule is that a spouse who earned less is entitled to alimonyHas rights to marital property that was acquired during the marriage. Marital property is divided between spouses according to states laws and a spouse's agreement or a court's ruling When you and your spouse agree to get divorced and agree on all divorce issues, you should go through an uncontested divorce procedure. It means that you don't engage in litigation. An uncontested divorce is a relatively straightforward process. On the other hand, a contested divorce is when either spouse does not agree to divorce or when spouses disagree on issues, such as division of property and debts, alimony, child custody or child support. In such cases, you and your spouse should resolve disagreements through either litigation in court or mediation with the help of a hired third party.  Generally, the process for an uncontested divorce differs from the process for a contested one. However they both include the same steps. To get a divorce, you should:  Check if you satisfy the residency requirements of a state where you file for a divorceGet an index number (number of your divorce case) and pay the filing feeUnderstand what type of divorce you will file for (uncontested or contested)One spouse files a Petition for divorce (this spouse is called the petitioner) and necessary court forms for a petitioner A summons and a petition should be served (delivered) on the other spouse (this spouse is called the respondent)Respondent files an Answer to a petition and other court forms for a respondent that may be necessarySpouses complete and exchange Financial disclosures, documents that include information about each spouse's financial situation during divorce proceedings. Spouses also engage in Divorce discovery, a legal process that allows the spouses to request information from each other formally and third-party witnesses (for example, written questions, subpoenas, and depositions)If you and your spouse agree on divorce issues by yourself, you can file it with a court in the form of a Divorce Settlement Agreement to your divorce application and ask the court to approve it.Attend a court trialYou have a possibility to appeal a court's decision on your divorce caseGet a Judgment of Divorce signed by a judge. This document officially ends your marriage Grounds for divorce are divided into two types: fault and no-fault. Fault-based divorces have a particular reason behind them. Examples of such reasons for a fault-based divorce include: Cruelty (inflicting unnecessary emotional or physical pain);Adultery (cheating or other infidelity);Abandonment for a specific amount of time;Incurable insanity;Confinement in prison for a set number of years;Physical inability to engage in sexual intercourse, if a spouse didn't disclose the inability before the marriage. However, the majority of divorces are no-fault. No-fault-based divorce means that the marriage ends just because the relationship can not survive any longer; the spouses have differences that prevent them from living together. In states' laws, such grounds are stated as follows:  Incompatibility;Irreconcilable differences;Irretrievable breakdown of the marriage.If you want us to match you with a lawyer, we will do it. A lawyer will advise you on the grounds and type of divorce for which to file. A legal professional will also consult you on the division of property and debts, alimony, child custody or child support. Hiring a lawyer reduces stress, helps you achieve a better outcome, and mitigates further litigation risks.