If You Find Yourself Searching the Web for “Divorce Lawyers Near Me,” Continue Reading to Learn What to Anticipate Throughout the Divorce Process.
Divorce litigation can, at times, be long and tedious. If you’re searching for “divorce lawyers near me,” you are either looking to file for divorce yourself, or you may be responding to your partner’s filed divorce complaint. Regardless of your situation, having a solid understanding of the process will help you prepare for what is to come.
If you are searching for “divorce lawyers near me” and are located in or around the Worcester, MA area, contact us at Rudolf, Smith, Griffis & Ruggieri, LLP for a free consultation to see how we can be of help:(508) 570-3037
Choosing “Divorce Lawyers Near Me” That Are Right for You
Divorce can be complicated, but divorce lawyers can help you through the process. Your divorce lawyer is representing you in court and so they should be someone you feel comfortable with, you trust, and that understands you.
The Divorce Process: What to Expect in the Beginning
The first part of divorce is a filed official divorce complaint, completed by either spouse. The divorce complaint indicates to the court that partner X is filing a legal petition for divorce from partner Y.
The petition is filed alongside a summons that tells partner Y that they must respond to the divorce petition.
If you are the one filing the official complaint, your attorney will evaluate your case and draft the official claim. On the other hand, if you have have been served with a divorce petition, an attorney can help assess the claim and help inform your answer, or “response.”
Massachusetts is a “no-fault” state, which means that grounds for divorce are not based on the specific acts or wrong-doings of the partner, but rather that there is simply no way to salvage the marriage.
The Divorce Process: Settlements, Trials, and Appeals
Given that both parties of the divorce have agreed upon the terms of the divorce, the next steps are a division of property, mediation, and settlements. If there is no agreement through settlements, eventually a trial will take place. The following is how you would be represented by your divorce lawyer.
Division of property
Your divorce attorney will help you sort and identify your property and income. In this phase, you and your spouse will exchange this information. Regardless of whether there is child support to be addressed, this helps inform how to address alimony or division of shared assets, etc.
Mediation or settlement
During mediation, you and your spouse can come to mutual acceptance of the terms presented by your respective attorneys. Settling helps avoid hefty legal fees and prolonged divorce tension that comes with litigation in court. If you are searching for a “divorce lawyers near me,” you will want to make sure your chosen attorney knows how to properly handle settlements to make sure you can get the best outcome, rather than continue on to court.
Settlements are presented at an informal court hearing and the judge will complete their due diligence to ensure there are no issues needing to be addressed.
The couple exchanges documents and information on issues such as property and income. By examining this information, the couple and the court can decide how to divide up property and how to deal with child support and alimony.
Divorce court
If you and your partner do not reach a settlement, your cases are presented in front of a judge who rules on any issues that are unresolved. The judge grants the divorce once the decisions have been reached on all remaining issues.
Appeals
Part of the incentive to reach a settlement is that once a divorce is granted on the judge’s terms, it is rare for an appeal to successfully overturn his or her ruling.
Divorce Attorneys to Help and Represent
Ultimately this overview should help orient you to the divorce process. That way, when searching for “divorce lawyers near me” on the internet or through friends, you’ll have a sense of what questions to ask and how an attorney should be able to support you with.
If you are near Worcester, MA, you can end your search for “divorce lawyers near me,” by contacting Rudolf, Smith, Griffis & Ruggieri, LLP. Our attorneys will use their years of experience and skill to represent you throughout the entire process. Contact us today for a free consultation:(508) 570-3037.
Sources: