Stillwater Divorce Lawyer

Learn How the Stillwater Divorce Lawyers at Atticus Family Law Can Help

Ending your marriage is never an easy decision. Whether you know you want to file for divorce, or your spouse already filed, you need the right support system through this difficult emotional and legal process. There is a lot at stake, and how you approach your divorce can impact your post-marriage life in many ways.

While the future might be uncertain, you do not have to face the divorce process on your own. At Atticus Law Firm, our Stillwater divorce lawyers regularly help clients in many different situations to obtain the best possible resolution for their divorce. With decades of experience, we can help pursue the right path to divorce for your circumstances, so you can move forward in a positive position. Contact us today to discuss how we might assist you from start to finish of your case.

Requirements for a Stillwater, MN Divorce

For a Minnesota court to consider your divorce, at least one spouse must have been living in the state for 180 days. Once you can meet this residency requirement, you can initiate a divorce by one spouse filing a petition with the proper court. The other spouse then has 30 days to file an answer, which allows them to contest certain issues in the petition if they choose. 

Minnesota is a purely no-fault divorce state, which means you only need to claim that you have experienced an irretrievable breakdown of your marriage. You cannot claim adultery or other types of misconduct as the basis for a divorce. However, there are important issues that the law requires you to resolve before a judge can grant a divorce in Stillwater. Such issues include:

• Division of property – Divorcing spouses must decide how to divide their marital property in a “just and equitable” manner under Minnesota law. Marital property might include the family home, financial accounts, retirement accounts, personal property, and more.
• Spousal maintenance – If one spouse needs assistance before they can support themselves, they may request spousal maintenance – also called alimony – as additional financial support for a period of time. 
• Child custody and support – If two spouses have children together, they need to determine how they will divide physical and legal custody. In addition, one parent may need to make child support payments to the other.

While the specifics of each divorce case can vary widely, the requirement to resolve any relevant issues under the law still stands.

Effective Resolutions for Your Divorce

If you and your spouse cannot agree on all relevant issues, the court will need to intervene and make the decision for you. Not only can a trial be costly and stressful, but it can render you with no control over the resolution and how the court judgment will affect your future. Our legal team works to find out-of-court resolutions through negotiation and mediation so that you can reach a mutually agreeable result whenever possible. If you need to go to trial, we will fiercely advocate for your best interests in court. 

Contact a Stillwater Divorce Lawyer for the Help You Need

At Atticus Family Law, we know how difficult the divorce process can be, and we guide you through each step to relieve much of the stress from your shoulders. We fight for your rights under state law and your future, so please contact us today to schedule your consultation.