Filing for divorce is never easy to go
through, but it is possible to end a marriage peacefully with very little
difficulty. However, this is not always the case in many divorce proceedings.
The divorce lawyers are usually the only ones
that truly win big in the long run. A long drawn out divorce proceeding can be
extremely overwhelming for both the parties, emotionally and financially. The
longer it takes to settle a divorce, the longer the conflict continues. This can
create huge legal fees for both sides. However, it doesn’t have to be this way
if you obtain the assistance of a qualified legal document assistant or
paralegal.
Most often, both parties will agree on the
settlement and other pertinent matters without an attorney and the final dissolution
can take place fairly quickly. It is possible this can all happen before the
mandated waiting period is up and both parties can agree on what is fair.
There can be many questions
about the divorce procedure and they need to be addressed. The procedure
usually starts with a divorce petition that is initiated by one spouse (the Petitioner)
and served on the other (the Respondent). The petition, which includes detailed
information about the marriage, is also filed with the clerk of court in the
county where you live. The petition includes many facts about your marriage
including the names of the husband and wife, the date and place of marriage,
names of any children resulting from your marriage, separate or community
property held by you or your spouse, child custody, child support, spousal
support, and any other issued that needs to be addressed before dissolution of
the marriage is finalized. A properly filed divorce requires that the
respondent spouse be given reasonable notice that the divorce petition has been
filed, either in person or by a process server. The respondent then has a given
amount of time to answer or file a counter-claim if one is necessary. If both
parties agree on the terms of a settlement, a court hearing is not required and
the divorce will be final. 
