24 February 2016
 Categories: Law, Blog

Divorce is usually an unpleasant thing for all involved. There are some situations, however, where both parties are equally ready to part ways and want to do it as quickly as possible. If you and your spouse are still on good terms and don't have a lot of disagreement with how things should be divided, a no-fault divorce is a good way to go. Although no-fault divorces generally much quicker to resolve, there are three ways your divorce lawyer can make the process even faster.

Have Your Lawyer Draft a Stipulation Instead of Going to Mediation

You can save  time and money by forgoing mediation and simply having your divorce lawyer draft a stipulation agreement for you and your spouse to sign. A stipulation outlines all of the terms of the divorce, from alimony to marital asset division. One meeting with your lawyer, or a detailed email with all of the desired terms, can make drafting the stipulation fast and easy. Once you have a draft in hand, both parties can review it for any changes, and then sign it once everything is agreeable. Your lawyer can then draft all other documents based on this agreement, and a judge will usually sign off on agreed upon terms.

Have Your Lawyer Prepare a Request to Forgo a Separation Waiting Period

Most states require married couples to be separated for a designated period, usually 90 days, before a divorce can be finalized. However, it is possible to have this requirement waived in your particular case. For example, if you and your spouse were already separated for several months prior to filing a Petition for Divorce, you may be eligible. Other factors, including whether or not there are children involved, will determine whether or not your motion will be granted. In most uncontested situations, it's fairly easy to get a waiver of the separation requirement.

Have Your Lawyer Submit to Request for Decision Once All Papers Are Filed

Many no-fault divorce lawyers file all required documents in a divorce packet to the court. In some situations, paperwork might not all be submitted at once. If one or more party delays taking the divorce education courses, for example, the court may not place your file before the judge for review. It's important to pay all court fees and submit all required documentation to your lawyer as soon as possible so that he or she can submit a Notice to Submit for Decision with all the documents in your file. This will allow the judge to look at everything at once and not delay a decision.

If your goal is to split amicably and quickly from your spouse, a no-fault divorce lawyer will be able to help you do it. Because of how efficient this type of divorce is, you can save a lot of money that would otherwise be spent on divorce fees and court costs.