Divorce is a uniquely difficult transition, but working closely with an experienced Washington County divorce lawyer can help the legal process go far more smoothly and will help ensure that your rights are well-protected. While no two divorces follow the exact same path, there are some divorce basics that apply across the board.
Divorce in Minnesota is no-fault, which means marital misconduct does not play a role. You’ll need to demonstrate that your marriage is irredeemably broken, which usually involves living apart for at least 180 days (or otherwise demonstrating serious marital discord). Further, for the state to have jurisdiction, at least one of you must have lived in Minnesota for a minimum of 180 days prior to filing for divorce.
The major financial component of your divorce is likely to be the division of your marital property, which generally refers to the property you and your spouse acquired together as a married couple. The court seeks a division that is equitable rather than exactly even. In the process of determining equitability, it takes a variety of factors into careful consideration, including:
Obtaining an equitable division of marital property that accurately reflects the true value of those assets is essential.
In Minnesota, barring a compelling reason, both parents generally share legal custody, and this means they share the parental rights and responsibilities of making important decisions on behalf of their children. Such decisions relate to their children’s education, extracurriculars, non-emergency health care, and religious upbringing.
Minnesota parents typically also share physical custody, but often one parent will become the primary custodial parent with whom the children live primarily while the other parent has a visitation schedule. Further, because both parents obviously remain financially responsible for supporting their children post-divorce, the parent with the visitation schedule is usually required to pay the other parent-child support that is based on state guidelines.
Spousal support – what many people think of as alimony – is not guaranteed in a divorce, but it is a legal mechanism to help offset a financial discrepancy between exes after a divorce. If one spouse has a financial need and the other spouse has the financial ability, the court may order that alimony be paid. Alimony is typically used as a temporary means of helping a financially disadvantaged spouse find his or her financial footing.
The dedicated divorce lawyers at Atticus Family Law – proudly serving Washington County – have extensive experience helping clients like you obtain divorce terms that work for them. We care about your case, so please don’t hesitate to contact us today.
I hired Atticus Family Law after I could not get my case moving forward. This was the best decision I could have made. Once Alexandra Reynolds was put on my case, she worked consistently and aggressively on ensuring
The worst thing I have ever experienced in my life, my divorce, felt like a never-ending maze of financial and emotional torment. Alexandra Reynolds was there to guide me through the process. Her ability to break things down
Alexandra and the entire team at Atticus Family Law have been nothing short of amazing during what is no doubt one of the most challenging times to navigate! Her incredibly poised and professional approach with opposing counsel and
Matthew Ludt and his team were wonderful to work with. Exceptional in communication, making sure I understood every step of the process. From attentively gathering all the details, and laying out road maps of how to proceed, to
Atticus Family Law gives its clients' a positive experience during some of the most trying times in their lives. They are professional, well established, and really care about their clients. I recommend them to anyone seeking advice or
Matt was an awesome collaborative lawyer! Worked hard to make my experience easy with little worry. Getting divorced was the easiest thing I’ve done in 2020. Matt made sure it was low stress! Highly recommend.
If I was asked to rank Atticus Family Law on a 10 scale, I would give them an 11. Choosing to end my marriage was a difficult and personal decision, and Atticus made the process seamless from beginning
110% Recommend Matt and his team! They were all so great to work with and easy to get a hold of. Each one responded quickly and answered all my questions. Thank you for all your hard work Matt,
Best service in the Twin City area!
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