Divorces are detrimental to all the parties involved. The person you once shared a home with and perhaps had kids with is now the person you are struggling to move on from after sharing a huge part of your life together.  

Whether you have both grown apart or one of you was violent or unfaithful, divorce is an extremely tough process from start to finish. If you are going through a divorce, the next step is to get a lawyer who will explain your legal rights and help you navigate the entire process. The steps are as follows.

Filing of Summons and Petitions in Court

Your divorce journey usually starts with submitting summons and petitions in court. In most cases, you must show you are a resident of the state at the time of filing.

After filing, you need to serve the other spouse, which can be done via email or through a process server. You shouldn't serve the documents yourself. After successful filing, the court will issue a trial date where you will both meet in court to discuss and finalise the divorce. 

The Temporary Orders Stage

After filling the summons and petitions in court, it may take a while before the trial date. So, issues like how to take care of the children will spring up. 

The court will rule on who stays with the kids and how the other parent can continue sending financial support. You may also want the other spouse to move out of your marital home, a process that will require a temporary order from the judge after a hearing to grant or deny your request. Temporary orders do not take long and are valid until the divorce is finalised.

The Discovery Stage

The discovery stage comes just before the final ruling. This is the stage where each side gathers evidence, and if you agree to work together, the process should not take too long. However, sometimes things may heat up, causing delays in gathering evidence, or there is lots of information that might also derail the entire divorce process. 

For example, through your lawyer's help, you may need to gather documents from the other spouse or find out if there are hidden assets. Once you have gathered all the necessary information, you should present it to the judge for a fair decision.

Final Ruling Stage

Some couples go for mediation first to try and dissolve the marriage outside court. If this works for you, you only need to file the orders, and the divorce will be final. If not, you have to go to trial, a process that can be pretty lengthy, especially if the case is complex. However, your lawyer will be with you every step of the way.

These are the steps involved in a divorce case. If you are going through a divorce, be sure to hire a family lawyer.

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