Greenburg residents who are thinking about divorce may wonder how they go about filing. A person in this situation might want to talk to an attorney because every situation is different and it may be important to take care of some things early on, but many elements of divorce are similar.
For example, in order to set the divorce in motion, one person must file a petition and summons. A person might also want to consult an attorney about issues such as child custody and finances. The other spouse receives the summons and is supposed to file a response. If either person decides at this point to hire an attorney, that attorney may be found through recommendations from friends or online reviews.
The couple must disclose all assets, income and debt to one another and begin negotiating property division and child custody. Some financial disclosures may be more complex and involve things such as real estate and businesses. Even if a couple has had a do-it-yourself divorce up to this point, if they cannot agree on property division, they might need attorneys. Whether through negotiation, mediation or litigation, they will eventually need to have a divorce agreement that addresses these issues. When this agreement goes into effect may vary.
A couple that is unable to reach a resolution on their own might still be able to do so with the assistance of their respective attorneys. Often, this kind of negotiation is preferred by couples since they remain in control of the final decision and it may be cheaper and quicker than litigation. However, negotiation requires cooperation from both parties, and if that is not forthcoming, litigation may be necessary.