Steps to Filing for Divorce
The exact divorce process depends on the choices each spouse makes along the way. But it is important to understand the basic steps required to progress towards dissolution of your marriage.
Selecting divorce attorneys and the type of divorce
Your choice of a divorce law firm in Stroudsburg depends on many factors—including your compatibility with the attorneys who will work with you to resolve very personal issues. But you also need to consider the type of divorce you need.
For example, specially trained collaborative lawyers are required by law for both spouses when pursuing a highly regulated collaborative divorce. This is why choosing a law firm and type of divorce is often a simultaneous process. The Stroudsburg divorce lawyers at the law firm of Sigmon & Sigmon, P.C. are dedicated to helping couples in Stroudsburg make the best decisions to ensure the least-stressful divorce possible—and the best choices for the future of the entire family.
Preparing your divorce case
Regardless of the method used for filing for divorce, you cannot effectively split a single family life in Stroudsburg in two without taking the time to prepare a detailed accounting of your financial assets, property, and other items you own—and identify those items owned outside the marriage, such as any inherited items that were not comingled with marital assets. The divorce attorneys at Sigmon & Sigmon, P.C. work closely with clients divorcing in Stroudsburg to help ensure all items are considered—and that valued personal items stay in the hands of their rightful owners.
Taking the divorce to completion
The type of divorce is the main determination of how a divorce proceeds to completion. The divorce process typically falls into three basic categories:
- Contested divorce: When couples cannot agree on the terms of their divorce, they must present their cases in court—much like any civil trial—and leave the decisions regarding their children, division of property, and spousal support entirely in the hands of a judge.
- Mediated divorce: The ability of a couple to negotiate the terms of their own divorce determines the details of the divorce process. In the best cases, with the help of skilled Stroudsburg divorce lawyers, they can come to full agreement on all issues, leaving the court process to be little more than having the judge review the decisions before finalizing the divorce. If a couple cannot agree on all terms, the undecided issues are presented in a courtroom trial, leaving the judge to make the final decisions before finalizing the divorce.
- Collaborative divorce: When collaborative lawyers are retained to guide couples through this highly regulated form of divorce under Pennsylvania law, a couple that files for divorce in Stroudsburg is required to reach full agreement on all issues prior to having their divorce declared final in court. Failure to reach full agreement forces them to start over with new divorce attorneys using another method.
Fighting to win your legal issue
Contact Sigmon & Sigmon, P.C. online or call us at 610-865-3404 to speak to caring and talented attorneys who have been dedicated to solving legal issues for clients since 1987.
