The difference between a contested divorce and an uncontested divorce is pretty simple. In a contested divorce, the court has to decide how everything from the division of the marital property to the custody of the children will be handled.
In an uncontested divorce, the couple figures out a mutually acceptable agreement on all the important issues and asks the court to simply approve it.
Here’s why you should consider an uncontested divorce
No matter what the level of animosity between you, you and your spouse may be willing to work toward an uncontested divorce once you realize the potential benefits. These include:
- Getting it over with as fast as possible: If you and your spouse decide to fight the whole thing out in court, you could be tied together for another year (or longer). An uncontested divorce can be over in a few months.
- You’ll save a lot more money: By the time you get done fighting over certain assets, you may have spent more in legal fees than they’re worth. Divorce can be expensive, but you can lower the costs by keeping the court appearances to a minimum.
- You can tailor your plan to your family: If you have minor children with your spouse, this could be important. Judges tend to stick with tried-and-true formulas for custody and visitation, and that may not make anybody happy. It certainly won’t take your family’s unique needs into account. If you write the plan yourself, you have a lot more control over your family’s future.
It’s not easy to end a marriage under the best of circumstances, but some methods of handling a split definitely have an advantage over others. Find out more about your legal options today.