An Alternative to a Contested Divorce
In Ohio, there is an alternative to a contested divorce that can save you time, money and stress. It's called marriage dissolution.
At the law firm of Sowald Sowald Anderson & Hawley in Columbus, Ohio, our lawyers can guide you through each step of the dissolution process. We can negotiate and draft a separation agreement and shared parenting plan, prepare and execute other required documents and court forms, file these documents and forms with the court, obtain a final hearing date and conduct the final hearing.
While it is not necessary for both parties to have their own attorney, our firm and attorneys are only permitted to represent one party in the marriage dissolution process. We recommend that the other party seek legal representation, or at least consult with an attorney before signing final dissolution documents.
What Is Marriage Dissolution?
Marriage dissolution is an uncontested approach to terminating a marriage. In a dissolution, the two parties reach an out-of-court agreement about how they wish to resolve all of the relevant issues, including marital property and debt division, child custody and visitation, and child support and spousal support. The agreement is put into a written separation agreement and shared parenting plan, then presented to the court for approval.
Marriage dissolution requires full cooperation and agreement between both parties. Since the only court involvement is the final hearing, the court cannot issue temporary orders and a party cannot be forced provide financial or other information. If the couple cannot reach agreement on every issue, a dissolution cannot be completed and the matter would need to pursued by filing a contested divorce.
In Ohio, approximately half of the divorces start out as a marriage dissolution, but less than a third complete the dissolution process. Interestingly, while the majority of cases end up being filed with the court as contested divorces, more than 95% of contested divorces cases settle before going to trial. If you and your spouse are not able to reach an agreement on every issue, our lawyers will file a divorce action, but will still work to resolve your case without the time and expenses of a trial.
How Long Does Marriage Dissolution Take?
The length of time it takes to complete the marriage dissolution process takes depends upon how long it takes the parties to reach a full agreement. Typically, the process takes a few months from start to finish, but it can take less time or significantly more time, depending on the circumstances. Once the separation agreement, shared parenting plan and other required documents and forms have been prepared and filed a single court appearance to finalize the dissolution will be held between 30 and 90 days after the filing. The final dissolution hearing is usually held at the courthouse, we offer our clients the option of having the final hearing conducted by a private judge in the privacy of our office.
Schedule a Marriage Dissolution Consultation With One of Our Attorneys
To schedule a marriage dissolution consultation with a lawyer at Sowald Sowald Anderson & Hawley, call 888-609-8912 or fill out the contact form on this Web site. Our law office is located on Fifth Street in downtown Columbus.
