| Domicile and Residence Issues in Divorce |
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| In order to obtain divorce, domicile and residence are important factors. One party must be resident and domiciled in the state where the divorce is sought. In order for the court to obtain jurisdiction, the requirements are "actual residence" and legal domicile. Jurisdiction is determined at the time the divorce petition is filed. More... |
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| Community Property in Divorce |
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| In a pure community property system, property acquired during marriage other than by gift or inheritance from a third party is presumed to be community property and will be divided equally between the parties in divorce. Property that a spouse brings into the marriage or acquires during marriage by gift or inheritance from a third party is presumed to be separate property. Community property states generally consider a gift from one spouse to the other to be the recipient's separate property. More... |
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| Vacatur of Divorce Judgments |
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| "Vacatur" is an order of a court which sets aside or annuls a proceeding. When a judgment of divorce is vacated, the marital rights and status of the parties are restored, and the parties are placed in the position in which they were before the divorce. More... |
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| Use of Collaborative Law in Divorce |
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| Collaborative law is a method of family law dispute resolution in which divorcing spouses settle their differences out of court. The trend towards collaborative law developed from a desire to avoid lengthy legal and court proceedings while still reaching a compromise mutually acceptable to all parties. Parties to divorce, their attorneys, and any other professional involved agree to make a good faith attempt to reach an amicable settlement without going to court; collaborative practice is intended to minimize difference while working toward that resolution. More... |
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| Fault-based Divorce: Abandonment |
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| Abandonment, also known as "desertion," is a ground for fault-based divorce in a majority of states. Abandonment is defined as one spouse's leaving the marital home without the other spouse's consent and without any justifiable reason. Some courts have drawn a slight distinction between abandonment and desertion by stating that desertion involves an intention to sever the relationship, but abandonment does not have that requirement. Some state statutes require that there must be a continuous abandonment for a certain period of time before the filing of a divorce petition. More... |
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