On this week’s #FamilyFriday article, the attorneys at ERA Law Group, LLC want to help you get divorced and quick. Many people get married and mutually agree that a divorce is what’s right for them. Prior to 2015, if you wanted a divorce you had to wait at least one year. The theory behind the wait period was to encourage partners to reconcile and hopefully avoid divorce. Fortunately the law has caught up with reality and in many cases, when you know you know.
A divorce by mutual consent allows parties to file for divorce so long as there are no minor children and there is an agreement as to all property issues. Determining whether you have minor children is easy but settling property can sometimes be difficult depending on the duration of the marriage and the property accrued. You and your spouse want to discuss and settle issues related to any joint bank accounts, cars, real property, debt, retirement, and alimony before filing for divorce. Hiring an attorney to draft the settlement agreement to ensure it contains all necessary contract language and covers all potential property disputes is important to make sure you truly have settled all property issues. Additionally, sometimes parties think they’re on the same page only to learn that they’re not. Discussing these issues initially allows for a smooth settlement and a true divorce by mutual consent.
Once you have your agreement signed you can then file for the divorce. Your spouse can come with you and immediately file their answer which avoids waiting for the summons and having to formally serve the Defendant. When filing for the divorce you must include a copy of your agreement so the Court is satisfied that there are no unresolved property issues. After you’ve filed, the Court will set an uncontested hearing for about ten (10) minutes. Some counties take longer than others but a good estimation of the time it would take to get divorced is three (3) months.
The attorneys at ERA Law Group, LLC offer fixed fee services to draft and finalize your agreement and handle your uncontested divorces. Call us today!