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Fighting to Help Our Clients Secure Fair Outcomes When Their Marriages End
Facing divorce is not a situation most people expect to find themselves in. Unfortunately, the statistic citing half of marriages ending in divorce is still relevant today. However, it is possible to secure a positive outcome even in these difficult situations. While this may sound unlikely — particularly considering how complicated family law issues frequently become — you cannot underestimate the advantage of having an experienced Lafayette divorce attorney on your side. If you believe your marriage is coming to an end, the time to seek legal representation is now.
At The Law Office of Tony Morrow, our dedicated team of family law professionals is here to help.
How Difficult Is the Divorce Process in Louisiana?
Going through divorce proceedings is never a simple endeavor. Even if the spouses agree to everything, the end of a marriage is an emotionally draining situation. Unfortunately for those hoping to divorce in our state, Louisiana makes the process more complicated than most. There are strict requirements to ensure that marriages are not ended in haste, and even the best divorce attorney in Lafayette cannot bypass these requirements on your behalf. However, the legal professionals at The Law Office of Tony Morrow can help you understand what’s expected of you.
Such requirements include:
Separation Requirement
To file a no-fault divorce, courts mandate that couples with no children live separately for a minimum of six months. This requirement is increased to a full year for couples who share children. This mandate doesn’t mean you live on opposite sides of the house. One of you has to physically leave your marital home for the prescribed time period.
Covenant Marriage Counseling
If you and your former partner entered a covenant marriage — meaning you legally agreed to stay together forever — you will be required to seek marriage counseling before you can file for divorce. Unfortunately, a no-fault divorce is not possible in this situation. You must cite specific grounds.
Citing Grounds for the Divorce Process
When the parties involved in a divorce case must cite grounds, they have several to choose from. Citing grounds for divorce is required if you’re in a covenant marriage or unable to meet the no-fault living-separate requirement in a standard marriage. Grounds include:
- Felony conviction with a sentence of hard labor or death
- Adultery
- An injunction or protective order issued to protect a spouse from abuse during their marriage
- Sexual or physical abuse of a child or spouse
Individuals in a covenant marriage can also seek a divorce on the grounds of being abandoned for at least a year or being legally separated for a minimum of two years. However, they’ll still need to live separately for one year (18 months if they have children) before filing.
What Issues Will Be Settled in a Louisiana Divorce?
When you sit down for your initial consultation with a Lafayette divorce attorney, you’ll discuss all the major issues that must be decided in your case. Any effective divorce lawyer will need experience in a variety of practice areas. Fortunately, the professionals at The Law Office of Tony Morrow have been assisting our community with their legal issues for over three decades. That’s why we have the necessary experience and knowledge to help in all the following areas:
Property Division
Not all divorce cases will involve issues like child support and custody. However, the end of your marriage won’t necessarily be simple just because you don’t have kids. Property division must be handled during any Louisiana divorce. You’ll need to figure out whether assets and items qualify as separate or community property. This process should be undertaken carefully — because anything designated as community property will be divided. An experienced divorce lawyer in Lafayette can help you through this process.
Spousal Support
Spousal support is another family law issue that’s considered in most divorces. The courts want to ensure that no individual faces undue difficulties in life because of their divorce. They want both parties to have appropriate living arrangements and to maintain a relatively unchanged standard of living. This intention often means that someone will be required to pay alimony to the other spouse. Regardless of whether you’re likely to be the receiving or paying spouse, it’s unfair for your well-being to be negatively affected by a divorce.
Child Custody
If you and your former partner have minor children, your legal matters become much more complex. Your family law attorney will explain how child custody decisions play out, but in all cases, judges are required to place the best interests of the children above all else. This practice is true for custody decisions, visitation rights, and parenting time agreements. If you have children and cannot agree on custody, seeking sound legal advice is imperative.
Child Support
In addition to determining parental rights regarding custody and visitation, a divorce must address financial support for any children involved. Just because a marriage ends does not mean a parent’s responsibilities to their child go away. Courts in Lafayette, LA, will review the financial situation of the parents, identify the needs of the child, and calculate a support amount based on these facts. That’s why it’s crucial to ensure courts have all the facts, and our dedicated divorce lawyers can help you during this process.
Do You Need a Lawyer for Uncontested Divorce Proceedings?
A divorce is always challenging. However, it doesn’t have to be unnecessarily burdensome, either. Perhaps you and your former partner have been living separately for some time, or maybe you’re both ready to move on in an amicable manner. Either way, an uncontested divorce is a great way to avoid the most stressful aspects of this complicated family law matter. However, the desire for simplicity shared by you and your ex-spouse does not guarantee that you won’t encounter issues — and this is why you need an attorney.
Many people don’t realize it, but a judge can deny a divorce agreement that two parties reach amicably. This decision is frequently made when the courts feel a certain agreement is not in a child’s best interest. However, many other issues can arise — even for those who don’t have children. A judge may decide that an agreement is inappropriately unfair for one side, or they may question whether the requirements for an uncontested divorce were truly met.
The simple point is that even amicable divorces can be challenging. A simple filing error on your part can delay the legal process and complicate seemingly simple manners. If you’ve reached an agreement with your former partner, an experienced Lafayette divorce lawyer can review your decisions, ensure they meet legal requirements, and file the appropriate paperwork on your behalf. Let the professionals at The Law Office of Tony Morrow assist. We’re here to help.
Contact a Lafayette Divorce Lawyer Today
Divorce is a difficult thing to go through. While domestic violence, significant disagreements over child custody, and an inability to work together certainly complicate things — the fact is that even uncontested divorces can be challenging. If you don’t have a knowledgeable legal advocate by your side, it’s easy to make avoidable mistakes during divorce proceedings. Hidden assets, false accusations, and bad-faith negotiation can all disrupt the process — even if you simply want things to be over.
That’s why we at The Law Office of Tony Morrow focus on offering compassionate representation for our clients. We’ve seen how the end of a marriage can devastate everyone involved — former spouses and children alike. However, it is possible to simplify things with a Lafayette divorce lawyer on your side. Our law firm will review your case and do everything we can to secure a positive outcome for you during this emotionally demanding time. Whether you need help with divorce mediation, filing uncontested paperwork, or an aggressive strategy in court — our legal team is ready to assist.
Contact us at (337) 201-9222 to schedule your confidential consultation. Any time delays could prove disastrous for your case, so let’s get started on taking your life back today.