How to Divorce Quickly

When it is clear that a marriage is over, there is no sense delaying the divorce process. Most spouses want to get on with their lives and put their marriage in the rear-view mirror right away. But resolving your marriage quickly is not always easy. A number of delays can drag this process down, causing considerable stress. Because of this, it is important to approach your divorce to reduce delays and wrap up the entire process as quickly as possible. How can you do this?

Your first step should be to get in touch with a qualified divorce attorney in North Carolina as quickly as possible. The sooner you get in touch with our legal professionals, the sooner we can get the ball rolling. Book a consultation and discuss your unique situation – including any specific priorities or concerns you might have. Based on this information, we can start developing an effective action plan right away.

You might also want to look for a divorce attorney who has experience with collaborative law. Our legal professionals can help you pursue a collaborative divorce, which is one of the fastest ways to end a marriage in North Carolina. This process allows you to sidestep the trial process, giving you a shortcut around needless delays by focusing instead on expedited, effective negotiations. You can learn more about collaborative divorce during your first consultation with our attorneys.

Choose a Collaborative Divorce

The first thing you will want to consider is a collaborative divorce. This method speeds up the entire process by avoiding the trial process. Instead, you and your spouse will have the opportunity to negotiate a separation agreement in private with the help of your respective attorneys. Once completed, your separation agreement will contain details pertaining to alimony, child custody, child support, property division, and any other aspect of your divorce that you deem to be important.

So why is this faster than a litigated divorce? Alitigated divorce may encounter numerous delays due to the slow nature of family courts in North Carolina. You may have to wait a considerable amount of time before your trial is even scheduled. During the trial, you may encounter additional delays due to endless appeals, hearings, and so on.

In contrast, a collaborative divorce can be finalized in a few weeks or even a few days. If spouses are willing to compromise and negotiate effectively, they can draft a separation agreement quickly. Next, all you need to do is get a judge to sign off on your agreement during a brief hearing, and it becomes legally enforceable.

Negotiate During the Waiting Period

With all that said, there is one delay spouses are often forced to endure: the mandatory one-year waiting period for most divorces in North Carolina. After you file your divorce papers, you will need to wait 12 months before you can move forward and take the next step. This waiting period is longer than that of many other states, and it is the subject of considerable frustration for divorcing spouses in the Tar Heel State.

However, this one-year period does not have to be completely wasted. You can make the most of this year by working with your spouse and hashing out the details of your separation agreement. In some cases, spouses who break up on relatively amicable terms can agree upon most aspects of their divorce without even getting a lawyer involved. This means that as soon as the waiting period is over, they can resolve their divorce in a matter of days. Not only does this make the entire process much faster, but it also lowers costs considerably.

Communicate With Your Spouse

As a general rule, it is always a good idea to communicate effectively with your spouse if you are trying to resolve your divorce as quickly as possible. Make sure you are both on the same page when it comes to things like filing the divorce papers and deciding whether or not to pursue collaborative divorce. Even if your breakup is on bad terms, you can still communicate in a professional manner so you can both move on with your lives as best as possible.

Enlist the Help of a Qualified Attorney Today

If you have been searching the North Carolina area for a qualified, experienced divorce attorney, look no further than Arnold & Smith, PLLC. Over the years, we have assisted numerous divorcing spouses in the Tar Heel State, and we understand the importance of resolving this process as quickly as possible. With plenty of experience in collaborative law, we can help you resolve all aspects of your divorce and move on with your life without any needless delays. Book your consultation today to learn more.