An uncontested divorce may seem impossible with the emotions involved in dissolving one of the most important relationships you’ve committed to. To divorce amicably means that the divorce is civil and you have conversations and come to reasonable agreements regarding property division, support, and custody. Ultimately, an uncontested divorce means you’ll likely save money in the process and become a better co-parent; you may even remain good friends.
Los Angeles family law attorney Jenna Blackmon has dedicated her entire career to keeping parties out of court. “Litigated cases can generate exorbitant legal fees, can drag on for years, and cause tremendous stress because of the adversarial nature of the process and the inherent uncertainty in having a third party judicial officer decide the contested issues,” she told Mom.com.
Mediation for divorce
Moving on: cohabitation after divorce
You did your job and got an amicable divorce, which has freed up your time, money, and emotions to be seriously involved with someone else. Many divorced people will get into another very serious relationship shortly after the divorce (or in the process). Of course, we aren’t suggesting that you rush into anything, but if the divorce is amicable and you are ready to move on, your happiness is paramount and that is one of the benefits of divorcing amicably — you get to be happy faster.
Even in a civil divorce, there are rules in some states that say you can’t marry for a specified period of time — say, 90 days. In this case, what happens if you have met or meet someone that you really are interested in? You may decide to move in together sooner than later.
Some experts say to have a co-tenancy agreement when choosing to cohabitate shortly after a divorce. Think of this like a prenuptial agreement, not for marriage but for someone who just got out of a divorce and needs to protect themselves moving forward. This agreement outlines property, who is on the deed or lease, and where down payments are coming from. By doing this, you’ll prevent any need for court or conflict if the new relationship ends up not being everything you dreamt of.
To hear experienced insight from divorce attorney Jonna Spilbor on uncontested divorce and how to divorce amicably, check out this episode of Divorce Tips:
