One of the most emotionally stressful experiences a person can go through is a divorce. There are a number of different factors that come into play — the dissolution of a personal and romantic relationship, the separation of assets, and in many cases the placement of children. Divorce is almost never pleasant, but it doesn’t actually have to be a completely negative experience. Here are a few things you should know about uncontested divorce.
1. What is an uncontested divorce?
No all divorces end up being bitter, long, drawn out battles (though the average length of divorce proceedings in the United States is one year). An uncontested divorce basically means that both parties in the marriage agree to the divorce and the terms of it (when it comes to separation of assets and child custody, etc). A divorce might also be considered to be uncontested if the other spouse does not appear in the divorce action.
2. Do I still need an attorney?
Yes. Even if a divorce is done amicably, each party in the marriage needs to get his or her own uncontested divorce attorney. The divorce is still a legal process, and it’s very important to have someone to guide and represent you through the process. Furthermore, having an uncontested divorce attorney means that you’ll have an objective person to help you make sense of things.
3. What are the benefits of it?
One of the main benefits of an uncontested divorce is that it’s less expensive. Since there are no problems to work through or negotiations to be made, the process will go a lot more smoothly and quickly, which means you’ll pay less legal fees. Uncontested divorces are also much more pleasant to deal with emotionally, since they aren’t bitter.
Have you ever had an uncontested divorce? Do you have any other divorce advice? Feel free to share with us in the comments section below.