If you and your spouse are considering divorce, or you want to divorce your spouse, you should hire a divorce attorney to protect your interests and rights during the divorce proceedings. Finding a quality divorce attorney in Pennsylvania is your first step in what can be a difficult process. Our attorneys represent individuals in Delaware, Chester, Montgomery, Berks, Lancaster, Philadelphia Counties and beyond. The first thing a divorce attorney can do for you is to determine what your goals are and to develop an action plan to assist you in the attainment of these goals. If divorce is the decision, a complaint is drafted and filed and served on the spouse. After receiving the complaint, your spouse then has the right to hire an attorney as well.
Once the complaint has been filed, your spouse has the option of contesting the divorce. A contested divorce means that either the spouse does not agree with the claims made in the complaint, or the spouse does not wish to proceed with the divorce. If the claim is disputed, the spouse may file a counter claim putting you at fault for the marital dispute. If the divorce is contested, both parties and their attorneys will have to proceed to a hearing or a trial. During this phase of the divorce, the attorneys will be asked to provide proof supporting the claims made in the complaints, and a master and/or judge will decide who, if anyone, is at fault.
After the hearing, or in the event that the divorce is uncontested, a divorce attorney in Media, Pennsylvania will help you to settle all of the other legal matters pertaining to the divorce. A property settlement must be arranged, which determines how all of the marital assets will be divided. In Pennsylvania, the basic rule calls for an equitable division of all marital assets between the two parties. Your attorney can help settle any disputes about which assets are allowable or exempt under the law. Most of the time, assets obtained prior to the marriage and gifts or inheritances are exempt from being divided as marital assets. A divorce attorney will also help in negotiating child custody arrangements as well as child support, which are two very important aspects of any divorce agreement. There are several different types of custody, and your attorney will help you to get the arrangement that is both best for the children and you. If spousal support is an option, a divorce attorney can help negotiate for that as well.
