Those who anticipating the end of a marriage too often assume that a contentious and stressful divorce is their only option. Many couples end up litigating their situation in Ohio family court over custody and property division matters even though they largely agree on the terms of their divorce. The litigation process can be both expensive and damaging to people’s mental health.
It is common for those who believe that their marriage is past saving to remain in that unhappy relationship simply because they believe that divorce will be expensive and difficult for their family to manage. Many people fail to recognize that dissolution is also an option for Ohio couples. Those who pursue dissolution instead of a litigated divorce can potentially limit how much they fight with their spouse and also how much it will cost to legally end their marriage.
What makes dissolution different?
Dissolution is a cooperative, uncontested process in which a married couple asks the family courts to end their marriage. Their uncontested filing provides clear information about the details of doing so. During litigated divorces in Ohio, spouses typically have to present evidence to the courts about their circumstances and then have a judge rule on major disputes. A contested divorce can take months, even years, to resolve and can easily cost more than $20,000 to resolve. The more issues the courts must review, the more the process costs.
The uncontested proceedings that occurred during a marital dissolution are faster because a judge does not have to review all of the details about the family’s situation or make decisions about what would be fair for property division or better for the children regarding custody. Given that it takes less time in court, a dissolution is typically far less expensive than a litigated divorce.
The need to settle matters before going to court helps reduce conflict, as the spouses have an incentive to cooperate with one another and resolve their disagreements as quickly and amicably as possible. Although emotions often become quite intense toward the end of a marriage, couples do not have to battle against one another and diminish their resources trying to end the marriage. Seeking legal guidance and cooperatively pursuing a marital dissolution in Ohio can be a lower-conflict, lower-cost solution that may work for many couples.