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Divorce

    Divorce Editor's Picks

    • How to Get a Divorce Without an Attorney

      There is no such thing as a free divorce, but cutting out legal fees can help considerably with the cost. There are some instances where you and your soon to be ex spouse can handle the paperwork entirely on your own. Read on for some tips. more »

    • How to Choose a Child Custody Lawyer

      Fighting for child custody in family court can be a horrible, lengthy experience. Selecting the right lawyer can make the difference between full custody and holiday visitations. Increase your chances of stress-free success by learning how to choose a child custody lawyer to represent you. more »

    • How to Get a Divorce

      It has been estimated that about half of all marriages end in divorce. The process of dissolving a marriage boils down to controlling what you can; and normally, what you won't be able to control is your spouse. If your marriage is heading down this road, learn how to get a divorce while protecting your interests and the interests of... more »

    • Duties of a Divorce Lawyer

      Your divorce lawyer's job includes explaining the way the divorce laws of your state apply to your particular situation, and advising you of your rights and to what you are entitled under those laws. You hire your divorce lawyer to guide you across the unfamiliar terrain that leads to divorce, and to represent your best interests... more »

    • How to Get Custody of Your Children

      Divorce is stressful enough without the added stress of fighting over which parent will get custody of the children. While you and your ex battle it out in family court, remember the children involved and speak to them about how they feel about their new living arrangements. Perhaps it can give you some insight into how to gain... more »

    Divorce Quick Guides

    • Child Custody

      Divorce often ends in a debate over who retains custody of the children. Our guide can help you...

    • Survive a Divorce

      One of the hardest things for any family to go through is divorce. For those looking for some...

    • Pay Off: Getting Alimony Established and Owed

      When a husband and wife separate, the parties may agree that one will pay the other alimony,...

    • Annuling Your Marriage

      Sometimes, it is evident from the very start of a marriage that the whole thing was a mistake....

    Divorce Articles

    Wikipedia

    Divorce

    Divorce or dissolution of marriage is the final termination of a marriage, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the married persons. In most countries, divorce requires the sanction of a judge or other authority in a legal process.

    In western countries, a divorce does not declare a marriage null and void, as in an annulment, but divorce cancels the marital status of the parties. Where monogamy is law, this allows each partner to marry another. Where polygamy is legal, divorce allows the woman to marry another.

    Divorce laws vary considerably around the world. Divorce is not permitted in some countries, such as in Malta and in the Philippines, though an annulment is permitted.

    The legal process for divorce may also involve issues of spousal support, child custody, child support, distribution of property and division of debt, though these matters are usually only ancillary or consequential to the dissolution of the marriage.

    Western law
    In some Western jurisdictions divorce does not require a party to claim fault of their partner that leads to the breakdown of marriage. But even in jurisdictions which have adopted the "no fault" principle in divorce proceedings, a court may still take into account the behaviour of the parties when dividing property, debts, evaluating custody, and support.

    In most jurisdictions, a divorce must be certified by a court of law to become effective. The terms of the divorce are usually determined by the court, though they may take into account prenuptial agreements or postnuptial agreements, or simply ratify terms that the spouses may have agreed to privately. In the absence of agreement, a contested divorce may be stressful to the spouses and lead to expensive litigation. Less adversarial approaches to divorce settlements have recently emerged, such as mediation and collaborative divorce, which negotiate mutually acceptable resolution read more at » http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divorce

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