Stamford divorce lawyers are responsible for explaining various legal concepts to their clients during the divorce process. This is because marriage is a type of legal contract. Your Stamford divorce attorney can explain that when this legal contract is terminated, there are several legal ramifications.
Residency Requirements for Divorce
Additionally, a Stamford divorce lawyer can explain that you or your spouse must meet the residency requirement to get a divorce. Connecticut requires that at least one of the spouses reside in the state for at least 12 months continuously before the divorce. It is fine for you or your spouse to file for divorce before this requirement is met, so long as you or your spouse will meet this requirement by the time your divorce is granted.
Grounds for Divorce
A Stamford divorce attorney may describe the grounds for divorce. A no-fault divorce is when the marriage has broken down irretrievably. Another no-fault ground for divorce is if the spouses have lived separately for at least 18 months due to their incompatibility. Fault grounds for divorce include adultery, the willful desertion of one spouse toward the other for at least one year, intolerable cruelty, fraudulent contract, one spouse being imprisoned for a crime that carries a sentence of one year or more or the confinement of one of the spouses in a mental institution for at least five years.
Contested or Uncontested Divorce
Divorces are usually classified as being contested or uncontested. A divorce that is contested involves two spouses who do not agree on the material terms of their divorce such as spousal support, child support, custody, visitation or the division of marital property. The court can rule on these matters. If the spouses do reach an agreement on material issues, their proposed agreement is submitted to the judge so that the terms can be added to the official divorce decree that the judge will sign.
Final Decree of Divorce
Your Stamford divorce lawyer can explain that a final decree of divorce will finalize your divorce. Even if a couple decides to get back together, their divorce will still remain in effect. To recreate the marriage relationship, the spouses would need to obtain a new marriage certificate and get married again.
If you would like to know more about the divorce process in Connecticut or you are interested in initiating proceedings, contact Piazza, Simmons & Grant, LLC by calling (203) 348-2465.