Ending a marriage
Ending a marriage, one piece at a time
A divorce is a long list of small decisions made while you're worn out. My job is to put them in order, so you only have to make the one that's in front of you.
I help with ending a marriage or a partnership: filing or answering the papers, temporary arrangements for the house and the bills, dividing property, debts and retirement accounts, spousal support, and the final agreement the court signs.
Most cases are settled by agreement, sometimes with a mediator. When one can't be, I prepare it as if it's going to a judge, because that is the best way to get a fair agreement too.
Property, debts and retirement accounts
The house, and who stays in it for now
Spousal support
Agreements written so they can be enforced
The parts of a divorce
Every divorce is different, but most pass through these four pieces, usually in this order.
- 01
The papers and the deadlines
One spouse files, the other answers. The dates on the papers decide what you can still do, so we read them before anything else.
- 02
Temporary arrangements
Who stays in the house, who pays what, and how the children are cared for while the case is open. Often agreed in a short letter between lawyers.
- 03
Property, debts and support
What you own, what you owe and what each of you needs afterward. We gather the statements, check the numbers and work toward a division you can live with.
- 04
The final agreement
Written down in plain words, signed by both of you and approved by the court. After that it can be enforced, and later changed only in the ways it allows.
Divorce questions people bring in
Do we have to be separated before filing?
Not always, and the rules differ by state. We go through your situation in the first meeting and I tell you what applies to you.
Can we use one lawyer?
No. A lawyer can only act for one spouse. If you agree on most things, you can write the agreement together with a mediator, and each have a lawyer review it.
What happens to the house?
It depends on whose name is on it, when it was bought and what each of you wants. Options include one spouse keeping it, selling it and splitting the proceeds, or a delayed sale while children finish school.
How long does a divorce take?
Agreed cases can finish in a few months, and contested ones take much longer. The court and the other side set much of the pace, and I will tell you what to expect once I have read your papers.
The first step doesn't have to be a big one.
Bring the papers you have, or none, and we'll start with what's in front of you.
Please keep confidential details, such as account numbers or what happened at home, out of the contact form.