Divorce
Ending a marriage without losing the year to it
Some divorces are two people who already agree and need it written right. Others start with a surprise. We take both, and we'll tell you at the first meeting which kind yours looks like.
Either way, the work is the same list: who keeps the house or how it's sold, how retirement accounts and debts are split, what happens with the car payment and the health insurance, and, if you have children, a parenting plan and support. We go through the list with you once, early, so nothing turns up at the end.
What we sort out
The pieces of a divorce, one at a time
Most cases need every one of these settled, by agreement or by a judge.
The home
Whether one of you keeps it, refinances, or you sell and split what's left.
Money and debts
Bank and retirement accounts, credit cards, car loans and the tax return for the year you separate.
Children
A parenting plan and child support, written to fit both households.
Alimony
Whether either spouse pays support, how much and for how long.
Paperwork
The financial disclosures each side has to exchange, gathered with you and filed on time.
The final judgment
The signed order that ends the marriage, and what to do with it afterward.
Divorce questions
What people ask before filing for divorce
Do we both need lawyers?
Each lawyer can represent only one spouse. If you agree on everything, your spouse may choose not to hire anyone, but we can't advise them.
How long does a divorce take?
An agreed case can finish in a couple of months. A contested one often takes most of a year, depending on the court's calendar and how much is disputed.
Does it matter who files first?
Not much for the outcome. It can matter for timing and for which county the case is in, so ask us before you or your spouse files.
Not sure which kind of divorce yours is?
That's the first thing we work out together, in one hour.