Winter Park Uncontested vs Contested Divorce Attorney
Retain a Winter Park Divorce Attorney You Can Trust
If you live in Florida and are planning to file for a divorce, there are three main types of divorce you can choose between — simple dissolution of a marriage, an uncontested dissolution of marriage, and finally, the contested dissolution of marriage. So, what’s the difference between these? Let us explain.
A simplified dissolution is one where there are no children under the age of 18, the female spouse is not pregnant, at least one of you has lived in Florida for the last six months, and the spouses can agree on a property settlement agreement.
Filing for an uncontested divorce typically takes less time and is cheaper since the parties have agreed to all, or a majority, of their issues. A contested divorce, on the other hand, is more formal and takes a longer amount of time to resolve.
With a contested divorce, the couple has not reached an agreement on their own regarding the most important aspects of their divorce. Your dissolution paperwork for a contested divorce should be drafted by a skilled Winter Park divorce attorney. It will also need to be served to your soon-to-be ex by the Sheriff’s office or a process server. Once the documents are served, your spouse — known as the respondent — has a certain amount of time to respond to the documents. Failure to do so could result in a default judgment against them.
What Does a Dissolution of Marriage Involve?
Dissolution of marriage is the legal term for a divorce in Florida. Whether a divorce is contested or uncontested will depend on the parties themselves. If you and your spouse can agree on each and every element concerning the divorce, then you can proceed with an uncontested divorce. However, if you cannot agree on all outstanding items, then you must proceed with a contested dissolution of marriage.
The remaining issues have to be negotiated or litigated between the parties in your divorce proceeding. Each case will be handled on an individual basis and reviewed independently, as no two situations are exactly alike.
You might be wondering what some of the biggest issues are that keep a divorce from proceeding as an uncontested dissolution of marriage. Some of the most important factors in a Florida divorce include:
- Alimony
- Custody
- Child support
- Parenting time
- Equitable distribution
- Health insurance
- Domestic violence
- And any other important decisions that involve you and/or your children.
If you and your spouse can decide on all the aforementioned topics, then you should proceed with an uncontested divorce as it’s simpler and can potentially save you time and money. Without an agreement on all these issues, you will not be allowed to proceed with an uncontested divorce.
Contact a Winter Park Divorce Attorney
If you are going through a divorce or planning to file for one, let an experienced Winter Park divorce attorney help. At The Troum Law Firm, P.A., we have over 30 years of experience helping Winter Park area residents with all their family law needs. Don’t attempt to tackle this alone. Our family law attorney is here to help. Contact The Troum Law Firm, P.A., today at 321-428-2247 to schedule an initial consultation.
