In an article published in Divorce Magazine on Monday, May 6, Joanne Beasy discusses the differences between dissolution, divorce and legal separation, and when each course of action is best suited.
Dissolution requires an amicable agreement between both parties before filing with the court. Typically, since an agreement is established beforehand, this is the quickest option.
Divorce is a more expensive, and sometimes time-consuming process. “A wise attorney once told me that in every divorce there is a rabbit and a tortoise – one party is moving quickly towards the finish line, and the other one is slowly approaching it. If you are the rabbit and you want the marriage over soon, for whatever reason, but your spouse is a tortoise, filing for divorce ensures you will get to the finish line someday,” says Beasy.
Reasons such as religion and insurance can lead to couples wanting to simply separate instead of terminate the marriage, resulting in legal separation.
None of these processes happen overnight. Untangling assets and debts, figuring out support issues, negotiating custody issues, and establishing two parents who parent separately takes time. Beasy continues, “All attorneys in this process – and the court – want to be attentive to the details so that when you launch your ‘officially separate’ lives, you are on solid footing.”
For the full article, you may click here.
