Getting married is a major life decision, but so is deciding to get divorced. Couples in Florida may agonize over the decision for months or even years. Many couples will try everything to attempt to “save” their marriage but, ultimately, divorce may be the best decision in a bad situation.
Our readers should know some of the basics before they decide to go through with a divorce. A recent news article covered some basic concepts that can help.
Divorce basics
For starters, the recent article mentioned that it is important to understand the laws that will apply to your divorce proceedings. For our readers, Florida state law will govern your divorce case. Additionally, there are certain procedures that must be followed, starting with the filing of a divorce petition.
In that document, whichever spouse is seeking the divorce will provide details to the court about the marriage, why the court has jurisdiction and how the filer proposes to address common divorce issues, like property and debt division, alimony and child custody and support.
Once that initial document has been filed, it must be “served”—officially delivered—to the other spouse. That spouse then has a chance to file a response. Once all of the initial documentation is filed with the appropriate court, the court may set a hearing to address any preliminary matters, such as temporary child custody, while the case is pending.
From there, a divorce case can go in many different directions. Some divorcing couples will be able to work out their issues and file a joint agreement with the court for approval. Others may reach that point after going through mediation. But, some may need to litigate issues in court.