Uncontested or Complex Divorce

Having an experienced divorce attorney guide you through a divorce will give you the peace of mind you need during this difficult time. If you and your spouse have reached an agreement concerning all aspects of your divorce early in the process, Pladson Law Office can help you finalize your divorce. A simple divorce is not always easy, and it involves significant court filings. We will educate you on the process of the divorce from start to finish and make sure that you have considered all important issues. We will take the time to explain how the process works and how long it will take. When you are ready for resolution, we are too. 

The first step in moving forward with your uncontested divorce is to make an appointment at Pladson Law Office. Our first meeting is an opportunity to get to know each other and for our attorneys to answer all of your questions. We take detailed information from you so that we have the information we need to finalize your divorce process. If you feel that Pladson Law Office is right for you, we will have you execute a retainer agreement, which carefully describes our fees so that you know what to expect. 

Although your divorce is uncontested, there are still many documents that will need to be prepared to finalize your divorce. We will draft those documents for you and provide advice to you regarding your different choices throughout the entire process. Some of those documents include:

• Summons. This is a notice to your spouse that a divorce action has been started and it provides your spouse with a time-frame in which he or she needs to respond to your Complaint.

• Complaint. This document sets forth the facts of the marriage, such as your name and identifying information, information regarding children, and whether or not you have assets and debts. It also tells the court what you are asking for in your final divorce judgment. 

• Admission of Service.  This is a document that can be signed by your spouse so that he or she does not have to be personally served by a sheriff or process server. The document simply states that your spouse has received the paperwork, not that your spouse necessarily agrees or disagrees with anything that is in the paperwork. 

• Confidential Information Form. This document contains your private information such as the full names of your children, dates of birth and social security numbers. This is not a public document, so your information will be protected. 

• Settlement Agreement.  This is the contract to end your marriage. It is this document that carefully defines the terms of how you and your spouse will live separately. It will address all issues relating to children and the division of all of your assets and debts. 

We will work with you to create a first draft of the proposed settlement agreement and send it to you for your review and approval. It is important that our clients have a chance to review our work and ask any questions. Once you approve the proposed settlement agreement, we will decide together how the document will be provided to your spouse. In an uncontested divorce, there are many different ways to move toward resolution and the choice is always yours. 

We will work with you to make all of the requested and agreed upon edits to the proposed settlement agreement, so that the document will eventually reach a point where it can be signed by both parties. Once the settlement agreement is signed, the process can move forward very quickly, but more paperwork is still required. 

We will file all of the relevant documents with the court and ensure the appropriate filing fee is paid. The court administrator will then open your file, issue a court file number and a judge will be assigned to your case. We will then prepare the proposed concluding paperwork, including the proposed divorce judgment, for the judge to sign, so that your matter can be finalized. Sometimes a hearing is required, but in most cases a hearing is not necessary. Once the judge signs the concluding paperwork, we will ensure that both parties are notified according to the rules. We will also take the time to advise you regarding any other issues that may need attention, such as the transfer of property deeds, car titles, retirement account allocation and the transfer of personal property, and will draft any paperwork that may be needed to conclude such issues.

There is no need to be overwhelmed by the divorce process. We are here to reduce your stress and to assure you that your case will be handled correctly from start to finish.  If you are facing an uncontested divorce, we are here to help. Pladson Law Office will give you the practical and cost-effective advice you need to finalize your divorce.