Mt. Juliet and Lebanon TN
Divorce can be messy. If it involves improper behavior by a spouse, it can even turn downright ugly. Divorce often involves finger-pointing with couples airing dirty laundry in court, including evidence of matters such as extramarital affairs, abuse and addiction.
Relatively speaking, if such a thing as an “easy divorce” exists, then a no-fault divorce is it. Some states, unlike Tennessee, are “no-fault” divorce states, meaning parties petitioning for divorce don’t have to show or prove a reason for it. Poor spousal behavior, such as adultery or abuse, may be factored into matters like child custody, alimony or the division of assets, but it has no bearing on the divorce itself.
Tennessee is a little different. Our Lebanon divorce attorney, Yancy Belcher, explains that when filing for divorce, a party must choose among 15 possible legal grounds to dissolve the marriage:
- Inability to have children
- Bigamy
- Adultery
- Abandonment
- Infamous crime
- Felony
- Attempted murder of spouse
- Refusing to move to TN
- Pregnancy (by another man before marriage, without the husband’s knowledge)
- Alcoholism/Drug addiction
- Cruel/Inhuman treatment
- Indignities (inflicting pain)
- Abandonment
- Two years of separation (with no minor children)
- Irreconcilable differences
Tennessee is not a “no-fault” state, but it allows “irreconcilable differences” as no-fault grounds for divorce. Spouses, in this case, do not have to prove marital misconduct or fault. Both partners decide to forego airing dirty laundry and slinging mud in court. Instead, they choose to simply go their separate ways, without necessarily pointing fingers of blame.
Emotionally and financially, a no-fault divorce is the easiest, least stressful and least expensive option, but our Mt. Juliet divorce attorneys encourage you to seek and retain legal counsel — even in the case of an uncontested divorce — to help you understand and navigate the legal process because even uncontested divorces can be complicated. In the case of no-fault divorce, both parties must fully agree on all aspects of the marital dissolution, including property distribution, alimony and, if applicable, child custody and visitation. As long as neither party nor the court contests the couple’s dissolution agreement, mediation isn’t required and litigation is unlikely. Once the divorce has been filed, couples must wait 60 days — or 90 days if minor children are involved — before it’s officially granted.
Divorce attorney in the Nashville area, including Hermitage and Mt. Juliet, TN
If you are researching divorce online, chances are you’re ready to move from one chapter in your life to another. If you’ve decided to move forward with a divorce, it’s best to retain legal counsel as quickly as possible. Protecting your rights, assets and interests is important, even in an uncontested, no-fault divorce. Our Nashville-area divorce lawyer Yancy Belcher has helped countless clients navigate the dissolution of their marriage to start a fresh, new life, and we’re here to help you do it, too. Give the Law Office of Yancy Belcher a call at (615) 773-2889, or contact us online today.
