Couples preparing for divorce have a lot of complicated decisions ahead of them. Spouses have to figure out what to do with their resources and financial obligations. If they have children, they have to work out custody arrangements. There may be a need for financial support in some cases.
It is quite common for spouses to disagree about how to address aspects of a divorce, especially when they first decide to file. However, Ohio does allow couples to pursue amicable dissolution instead of divorce litigation. Dissolution involves filing for uncontested proceedings where the spouses set all of the terms before involving the courts.
Dissolution often requires in-depth negotiations and concessions from both spouses. Why do people work so hard to move forward with a dissolution instead of a litigated divorce?
1. To speed up the process
Divorce can take months. In high-conflict scenarios involving children, divorce can sometimes take well over a year to finalize. Most people don’t like to live in limbo for that long.
Dissolution is overall much faster once the spouses have set their terms. They only need to wait for a judge to review and approve their arrangements. The overall timeline can be much shorter when spouses agree on terms for dissolution instead of litigating in family court.
2. To keep costs lower
Divorce can be very expensive, especially when spouses fight instead of cooperating. Court costs are one of the biggest overall contributors to the expense of a divorce. Couples who successfully settle outside of court can often control their costs even if they have to work with third-party professionals, like mediators, to achieve an amicable dissolution.
3. To maintain their privacy
Divorce litigation often forces spouses to talk about various aspects of their marriage in a public setting. Issues that cause conflict between the spouses or that may influence divorce terms can become part of the public record if spouses share them openly in family court.
Complaints about infidelity, substance abuse and other forms of marital misconduct can become public knowledge if people have to debate these matters in family court. Couples can potentially factor in marital issues when resolving their disagreements for a dissolution without airing their dirty laundry in a public forum.
There are many other benefits to filing for dissolution, and couples may find that an amicable approach to divorce is beneficial for the entire family. Learning more about how to resolve disagreements and the overall rule for divorce proceedings can help spouses prepare for dissolution. The right approach can make it easier to resolve disputes that might otherwise lead to a litigated divorce.The post 3 benefits of amicable dissolution instead of contested divorce first appeared on Baker and Wick, Attorneys at Law.
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