If you have reached a point in your marriage where divorce seems inevitable, you probably have more questions than answers. It is fair to go through the emotional turmoil of wondering how things got to this point, but it is also common to start thinking ahead to the actual legal process of getting a divorce.
The legal process
A recent news article pointed to some of the common step-by-step procedures that many divorce cases go through. As the article mentioned, one of the first steps is to determine the grounds for the divorce, although many states, like Virginia, are “no fault” states. This means that no specific grounds for the divorce are needed beyond the common “irreconcilable differences” statement.
Next, you have to actually file the appropriate documents to start the case, and those documents need to be served on your soon-to-be ex-spouse. Your spouse then gets to file a response. Once the initial paperwork is done, the family law court may set a hearing to decide temporary orders on issues like child custody and support.
From there, a divorce case can go any number of ways. Some cases are resolved through direct negotiations between the parties, resulting in an agreement that can be ratified by the court. Others go through mediation before they reach that point. Yet, still others may proceed all the way to a trial. Your divorce is unique, so how it gets resolved may look different, depending on the case. Be sure to get the right information about your own situation.
