If you’ve decided that you’re ready for a divorce from your spouse, you might be interested to know more about the process. Many people in North Carolina aren’t aware of the timeline and what you will be required to do to finally attain a divorce. Knowing about the process will help you make plans and better understand what steps to take to start and finalize your divorce.
What you need for a divorce
Many people don’t realize that in order to start the divorce process in North Carolina, you have to have been separated for at least a year. This means that you must have been living in separate residences with at least one person having the intention of filing for divorce. Additionally, in order to file in North Carolina, at least one of the two people must live in North Carolina and have lived there for at least six months.
Consent of the other person isn’t necessary for a divorce to be finalized, and the other person doesn’t have to sign any paperwork. Instead, they will be officially notified of the divorce.
How to make divorce simpler and less expensive
Going through lengthy litigation is expensive and emotionally exhausting. It’s best to work through the details of the divorce out of court if at all possible. If you and your ex are eligible for a divorce but are unable to agree on the details of the divorce, you should talk to someone about arbitration or mediation so that you can save yourselves the frustration and money.
During mediation, an attorney or multiple attorneys will help the conversation run in a productive fashion so that both parties can agree on the terms of the divorce. Similarly, arbitration is another option, but in this case, a judge or experienced lawyer will listen to both sides and make the decision for them.
If you want to obtain a divorce, you should know what the requirements are under the law. An attorney may explain the options you have to save yourself the time, money and frustration that arises out of litigation.