Divorce filing can be a very cumbersome process to deal with. It involves figuring out the correct court to submit an application form serving your spouse’s paperwork. Also, every state has different rules to obtain a divorce, like tenure of your stay in the state before filing for divorce and grounds of divorce. If it is a contested divorce, it may be all the more troublesome. A contested divorce lawyer Huntsville can assist you with the paperwork and help you carry out the process seamlessly without hassles.
What are the steps in Contested divorce?
There are various steps involved in a contested divorce, but to start with, a spouse needs to complete an official request or a divorce petition or complaint and file it with the court.
A few things to include in a divorce petition are:
-Name, date of birth, number of children, social security numbers of both the spouses and children
-Telephone number and addresses of both the spouses
-Reason for divorce
-Property details
-Location and date of the wedding
And some other formalities as per the state’s rules.
Filing divorce Petition
Carry the original and a few copies of the petition to the court. You will also need to pay a filing fee per the state’s rule, which may vary. You may also request a waiver from the court if you cannot afford the fees. Once you file the petition, the clerk will give you copies of the documents. You need to send or hand deliver the copies to your spouse through a neutral third party. This is known as the ‘service of process.
Once your spouse receives the divorce petition, they will have a stipulated time frame to revert with a response to the court. It can be a simple response to the allegations or a counter-complaint with the court and serve it on other spouses, and it can be a demand for alimony, child custody, etc.
Financial disclosures
Financial disclosures then form the next step. The spouses have to provide mortgage and real estate documents, credit card bills, financial statements, tax returns, bank accounts, etc. Though this can feel like a pain if not done correctly can make the divorce more time-consuming and result in fines from the court and paying the attorney fees for a spouse.
Conclusion:
Though contested divorce is challenging, your lawyer can make things work out for you quickly if you are transparent and honest.
