You may need to take care of a few basic things after you get divorced. Most of them aren't part of the court process, like changing your will, insurance policies, or other legal or financial papers that include you and your ex-spouse or former domestic partner.
Later on, it's possible you may need to go back to court. For example, if you
To finish your divorce or legal separation, you need to decide how you'll divide property and debts, whether anyone will pay spousal support, and how you will care for and support your children (if you have them).
You can do this by working with your spouse (or domestic partner) to reach an agreement. If you can't agree you can ask the court
If you don’t file a Response on time, your spouse can ask for a default. This means asking the court to decide the case without your input.
When you divorce or live apart from your child’s other parent, it is important that you develop a plan that describes how each of you will spend time with your child separate from the other parent. Each county court offers mediation where professionals help parents come up with a parenting plan agreement.
To finish your divorce, decisions need to be made about splitting your property and debts, spousal support, and the care and support of your children (if you have any).
If you can’t or don't want to get a divorce, but want to legally separate your property and finances, you can ask for a legal separation.
An annulment (or nullity) is when a judge says in a court order that your marriage or domestic partnership is not legally valid. This means something was legally wrong with the marriage from the start. If you get an annulment, it’s like your marriage never happened because it was never legal.
This guide can help you
This guide uses the term spouse to mean spouse or domestic partner, unless noted.
If you and your spouse or domestic partner are already in agreement about all of the decisions you need to make about property division, financial support, and the care of your children (if you have them), it’s possible to complete your divorce or legal separation without you ever filing a response.
Once a divorce is final, you may receive (or pay) spousal or domestic partner support. This is called permanent or long-term spousal support. This is usually a monthly payment that can last for many years.
