Deciding to end a marriage means that you will likely have to go through either the process of annulment or divorce. You must be able to sit down and negotiate the terms of your divorce with your spouse. Hiring a divorce lawyer will help you understand the legal requirements for a valid divorce in the State of Maryland. Contact Daniel J. Wright if you are seeking a divorce lawyer.
A court can enter a judgment granting the divorce and you will then no longer be in a legal marriage relationship. The divorce process can be confusing to a layperson and hiring a divorce lawyer will help you get through the process in accordance with Maryland law.
A final judgment granting a divorce will restore the parties to the state of unmarried individuals and no marriage between the parties will exist. You will be single once again and you will no longer be able to enjoy tax benefits or other benefits that accrue to married couples.
Before you can get divorced you must work with your spouse and decide on the terms of the divorce. Several issues may have to be decided during your divorce proceedings. One primary issues is the division of property. Some U.S. jurisdictions are separate property states and other U.S. jurisdictions are community property states.
Depending on the jurisdiction you will either be deemed to share property with your spouse that you acquired during the marriage or your property will be deemed to belong only to you and not as part of the marriage.
You and your spouse will have to decide how to divide up property such as joint bank accounts, real property, personal property, stocks, etc. Many different types of property will have to be analyzed and valued during the divorce proceedings.
It is imperative that you work with your divorce lawyer on the specific items of property you do not want to lose during your divorce. A skilled divorce lawyer will explain to you how to reach an agreement with your spouse on property division.
If you cannot decide on specific property divisions the court may step in and order the property to be divided in a specific manner. You and your partner must comply with the orders made by the court.
Issues regarding child custody, child support, and alimony can quickly cause problems in divorce proceedings. Family law courts must adhere to the best interests of the child standard when making decisions regarding child custody, child support, and alimony. If you and your spouse cannot agree on how to make these decisions regarding childcare then the court can analyze your income, your property holdings, and other assets as well as liabilities to make a determination regarding alimony and child support. Again, you must abide by the order of the court or you will face civil or criminal penalties.
Retaining a skilled divorce lawyer will help you work with the court and your spouse to come to a mutually agreeable end to your marriage. Resolving these issues during divorce proceedings will help you and your spouse move on with your lives and continue to provide adequate care to your children. Contact Daniel J. Wright to schedule a free consultation regarding your divorce.