Divorce can be intimidating for any Maryland resident, partially because of all the unknowns. Figuring out how to file, what will happen during the divorce and what happens after can be scary for many people.
As overwhelming as divorce is, there are things that you can do to make the process less intimidating. Generally, the process of seeking a divorce all starts at the same place.
Look up the laws for your state
The laws regarding divorce vary from state to state. Some states make you file for legal separation before you file for divorce. Other states allow you to skip this step and file the petition for divorce.
The petition for divorce must be filed with your local court clerk. This is the process of serving divorce papers and actually filing for divorce.
Ideally, by the time you’ve filed, you’ve already looked at your finances and talked to your spouse and a lawyer about the divorce. This step might look different depending on you and your reasons for divorce.
What happens after the filing?
A judge will approve your petition for divorce. From there, your lawyers will gather their cases for the actual divorce hearing and both parties will solidify what they want from the divorce.
Some couples engage in divorce mediation after the depositions have been made. This can help them come to agreements and compromises on how to split property before the court hearing.
The court hearing can take months to years, depending on both parties’ attitudes to the divorce and willingness to compromise. Generally, though, this is the last step and once this part is over, the divorce is finalized.
Divorce is scary, but that doesn’t mean a person who’s truly unhappy in their marriage shouldn’t go through with asking for a divorce. There’s no reason for someone to be stuck in an unhappy marriage if they don’t want to be.
