When people hear the word “divorce” they usually associate it with a long, expensive, nervous, harmful, and complicated legal process. And in general terms, all of this is true. In most cases, the divorce process is linked to stress and psychologically uncomfortable situations for both spouses.

This happens because emotions are flaring and tensions are high while the marriage dissolution is being performed. Moreover, the divorce routine can sometimes feel chaotic for all the participants of the process, especially when it comes to preparing the divorce papers.

Both parties are expected to respect each other’s feelings, rights, and freedom, and to take into consideration the point of view of the other spouse. But the more complex a divorce gets, the more difficult it can be to take a reasonable approach to the process, especially when there are kids involved.

Because of issues like child custody, child support, the division of assets, and the division of common property a divorce can become overwhelming and exhausting. But what if there was a straightforward way to perform the dissolution of the marriage that is more affordable and less harmful?

Can I smooth out the rough edges during a divorce process?

In general, the answer is “yes, sure!” At the same time, there is a lot that will need to be done if you have a willingness to dissolve your marriage. The divorce case will run more smoothly if both parties share a mutual vision of the situation before they begin the divorce process.

Needless to say, the divorce process is not the time for anyone to go off the deep end! We want to give you the opportunity to make this unpleasant process as effortless, inexpensive, comfortable, and stress-free as possible. We have gathered up the most important information on the topic! Let us show you how to smooth out the sharp edges while performing a divorce in the United States and how to minimize uncomfortable situations and possible conflicts between spouses that may lead to flaming disputes!

Online divorce or offline one: what to choose?

The modern digital era has a lot of undeniable advantageous features. One of them is the possibility to perform many routine actions remotely and online. And various legal procedures are no exception to this trend. If you feel confident in your willingness to initiate the divorce process and are ready to act as a petitioner in your case, you have an option to file the divorce over the internet.

In many cases, the choice of an online divorce gives the spouses an opportunity to perform all the required procedures without an attorney. As a consequence, the spouses can save a significant amount of time on the divorce process.

At the same time, the assistance of a professional family attorney is recommended if the divorce case turns out to be more complicated than expected. This may happen if you experience certain difficulties while preparing the divorce documents or if any unresolved disputes with your spouse arise.

How to choose the correct resources for information about the divorce?

The process of searching for information that may directly influence your divorce case can take a rather long time. Of course, a lot of really useful topic related web resources exist today. But at the same time, you can encounter a great number of websites, services, and platforms which are offering incorrect information and useless content related to online divorce.

In order to ensure that you are making the right choice, it is important to vet any websites that you use in making decisions during the divorce process. Even the tiniest detail can significantly impact the outcome of your divorce and your future life after divorce. So it is imperative that you are choosing the right resources. Carefully review the results of your web research and analyze all the information you consider.

Uncontested vs contested divorce

When talking about the divorce process from the point of view of relations between the divorcing parties and the court, there are basically only two types of forms for the process – uncontested and contested. An uncontested divorce is when both spouses reach a mutual agreement on all major issues.

When initiating an uncontested case, both participants have to agree on financial payments related to spousal support (alimony) and any child support (if there are any children from the marriage), as well as the division of debts, property, and assets. Couples that can agree on all such issues will sign a divorce settlement agreement detailing the terms of their arrangement. This settlement agreement has jurisdiction over all residual issues in the case.

An uncontested divorce is obviously the most affordable way to dissolve the marriage, so the petitioner has to convince their partner to agree to all the terms.

An uncontested divorce is especially acceptable for spouses who do not have children, do not have many assets to divide, and want a quick, simple, and inexpensive divorce.

A contested divorce refers to a case where the spouses can’t reach an agreement. It is common for one of the spouses to dispute at least one issue. And if the parties agree on every issue except one, the divorce turns from uncontested to contested. In such cases, the spouses must rely on the court to resolve any issues that lead to a conflict in the process. This means hiring lawyers and attending court hearings which significantly increases the cost and length of the process.

Residential requirements for divorce in the United States

When filing for the dissolution of marriage and preparing divorce papers, there will be some obligatory requirements that must be followed. All states and counties have residency laws that must be met before you are allowed to file the divorce documents. The mandatory period of residency varies by state and by county, but is usually between six months and one year.