WHAT IS DIVORCE? Divorce occurs when a marriage is legally terminated.Divorce law governs the sometimes complicated process of divorce

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WHAT IS DIVORCE?

Divorce occurs when a marriage is legally terminated.

Divorce law governs the sometimes complicated process of divorce, helping to determine how property and assets are divided as well as who will have custody of any children the couple may have. Couples going through a divorce hire a qualified divorce lawyer to help determine the most important decisions.

ALTERNATIVES TO DIVORCE

The two most common alternatives to divorce are annulment and separation.

Rather than ending a marriage, an annulment treats marriage as though it never existed in the first place. Some couples choose annulment for religious reasons or because they do not see divorce as an option. Annulments are most common among couples that have not been married very long. An example is if one spouse lies about his or her age or fails to tell their partner they are incapable of having children. In these circumstances an annulment would be granted- giving time for couples to work through problems without a divorce.

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Separation occurs when a couple chooses to live apart without getting divorced.

There are several types of separation:

  • Trial Separation- when a couple is unsure as to whether or not they want to permanently separate, they may choose to undergo a trail separation. During this time, they live apart, but their assets and debts are still considered mutual.
  • Permanent separation- in a permanent separation, the couple has already made a decision not to get back together. They are actively choosing to live apart. Therefore, any material gains and losses are the individuals rather than ...

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