About as many couples get divorced as remain married these days. Though divorce is not as taboo as it once was, it can still be unpleasant. After all, the couple is parting ways for a reason. What was once a duo facing things together becomes two individuals trying to distribute property and make child custody decisions. Despite the heavy decisions that must be made, some couples manage to divorce without fighting.
An agreed divorce, in which a couple comes to a consensus regarding major issues, is difficult to achieve. Each party may have a sentimental reason to hold onto the family home or may wish to keep the family car. Through compromise, the splitting couple decides who will keep this and other marital property or agrees to sell the items and divide the net proceeds. Retaining a family law attorney for amicable divorce help makes this process much easier.
When a couple enters divorce by agreement, they overcome one of the major hurdles. Agreeing to end the marriage puts the parties on a level playing field and opens the door for property distribution discussions. With help from their lawyers, divorcing couples may be able to agree on who gets the home and other big-ticket marital assets. The conversation then turns to nonmarital property, which its owner is usually able to retain.
With property-related decisions out of the way, the couple can work out child custody arrangements and discuss whether spousal or child support is warranted. In an amicable divorce, it is usually easier for each party to understand the other’s point of view but having a lawyer to consult is still helpful. Each party can discuss the proposal with the attorney before presenting it to the other party’s lawyer.
Couples who are able to divorce without a fight do not spend time in court. There is no need for a family court judge to make property distribution or child custody decisions because these are determined by the divorcing couple and their attorneys. The roles of the court are only to review and approval the final proposal and officially end the marriage.
Uncontested divorce stories stay out of the headlines because there is no drama involved. The divorcing couple discusses each relevant issue and makes a mutually agreeable decision, which is then put in writing. Family lawyers help throughout the process, serving as objective mediators who streamline the divorce process and prevent disagreements from arising.
