St. Paul Divorce Lawyers

Helping Clients Through the Divorce Process in the St. Paul Area

You may have come to the realization that you want to end your marriage, or perhaps your spouse informs you that they are planning to do so. In either situation, if you have a divorce case ahead of you, the first step should be to contact an experienced St. Paul divorce lawyer about what to expect and what steps to take. 

Each divorce is unique, and the legal team at Atticus Family Law has handled cases involving many different circumstances. These include:

• Uncontested divorce and summary dissolution
• Contested divorce
• Divorce with children
• High net value divorce

No matter what your situation may be, you should never hesitate to contact our legal team directly if divorce is in your future. 

Overview of Divorce in Minnesota

In order for you or your spouse to file for divorce, at least one of you must have lived in the state for 180 days before filing. A divorce is initiated by preparing and filing a petition with the court in your county. This petition requires information about each spouse, your marriage, your children, and your finances. You must also state grounds for divorce, which in Minnesota is the no-fault ground that your marriage is irretrievably broken. This means that you will not need to prove adultery or other forms of marital misconduct to obtain a divorce. 

There is no mandatory separation period or waiting period for divorce in Minnesota. This means that as soon as all relevant issues are resolved regarding the divorce, your marriage can be legally ended. 

Common Issues in Divorce

Resolving the relevant issues in your divorce is the bulk of the case, in most situations. The law requires you to decide how you will handle the following:

• Property division – Minnesota law requires that all marital property, assets, and debts are divided in an equitable manner. 
• Spousal support – If one spouse cannot support themselves right away, they may be entitled to financial support from the other spouse until they can find adequate employment.

• Child support – If you have minor children and there is a discrepancy in income between you, one person might have to pay child support to the other to ensure the kids are financially supported. 

• Child custody – You need to decide how to share both physical custody (time spent together) and legal custody (decision-making authority) of your minor children.

Some spouses work together ahead of time and agree on how to resolve all of these issues. Then, the court will just need to approve the agreement as part of the divorce order. On the other hand, many spouses cannot agree, and our attorneys help them resolve these matters through mediation, negotiation, or litigation.

Consult with Our St. Paul Divorce Lawyers Today

Whether you and your spouse have a relatively simple or highly complex divorce, the St. Paul divorce lawyers at Atticus Family Law can help. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and discuss your options for a divorce and how we might help.