Is It Really Over? A Guide To Divorce Proceedings

Going through a divorce is obviously a really stressful and emotionally draining time in your life but if you don’t think about how you are going to go through the process then it could end up being a lot worse. Advice will come from all angles when you are going through relationship problems and so you need to be selective about whose advice you take. Although people will only be trying to help you in your time of need, you ultimately need to do what’s best for you and your family.

There are many other options to try before turning to divorce but if you really feel like this is the right time to end your marriage then you may want to ask yourself a few of these questions.

Have I Exhausted Every Avenue?                                

As I said, there are plenty of other less drastic solutions to try before you finally decide to end your relationship. So if you have gotten to the point where you are just about ready to give up then you need to be totally sure you have exhausted everything else. Divorce can tear families apart but at the end of the day, if you honestly think you are doing the right thing then it may be the best option for everybody involved. Marriage counseling may not seem an attractive prospect but it is a lot better than divorce in the grand scheme of things.

What Kind Of Divorce Do I Need?

In most countries you have to have been married for at least a year before you can get a divorce and in some places this is two years. If this isn’t the case then you will most likely need an annulment. There are two types of divorce depending on whether you are planning to break up amicably or not. If both parties agree to the divorce then it is known as an undefended divorce but if you or your partner doesn’t agree to the proceedings then it’s classed as a defended divorce.

These defended divorces are often a lot messier and longer than undefended ones so you should think long and hard before deciding to take this route.

Do I Need To Prove Anything?

A lot of the time, especially in cases of adultery or fraud, you will need to prove that you have valid grounds for a divorce. With this being the case it may be a good idea to keep a log of any wrongdoing on your partner’s behalf leading up to your decision to apply for a divorce. If you have written or pictorial evidence to back up your claims then it will help to strengthen your argument when it court.

There are lots of legal issues surrounding the act of adultery, for example you cannot file for divorce on these grounds if you have been living with the person for more than 6 months after discovering this information.

Should I Seek Legal Advice?

The answer to this question is almost certainly yes in all cases. Even if you choose to have an undefended divorce, a law firm will still be able to give you valuable advice in this situation. Your law firm will be able to help you with all the questions above as well as guiding you through the entire process effectively. They will be able to tell you if you have valid grounds for divorce and how you can prove this as well as being someone to turn to for jargon-busting. There are also a lot of people that you need to inform after your divorce and your divorce lawyer can help you with this list. A lot of the great law firms will also be a constant source of emotional support during this time and will be your best bet for getting what you want from the process.