Filing for Divorce
Understanding the divorce process
If you have never been through a divorce, the following information may be useful to you as you struggle with your marital situation. These are the basic steps you pass through when divorcing in Brentwood or Franklin, Tennessee.
Since every divorce is as unique as every marriage, contact us to receive specific advice regarding your divorce or separation decision.
The steps to filing divorce in Brentwood or Franklin
Step one—Acquire legal divorce help in Brentwood
To file for divorce in Franklin, the first step is to hire a divorce attorney in Brentwood. Divorce is very personal and you want to find a qualified divorce lawyer in your area who understands you and your situation. Consider what qualities are important to you—experience, location, availability, personality, and the focus areas of an attorney's practice. Then, create a list of questions to help you interview firms you want to consider for Franklin divorce advice or representation. At the Law Firm of Adrian Altshuler & Associates, we want you to be comfortable with us as we work through this difficult situation.
Step two—File divorce papers
As your divorce attorney, we start your divorce process by filing a complaint with the courts, called a petition for divorce. Your complaint documents you and your spouse as the plaintiff and defendant, states your grounds for the divorce, asks the court to grant your divorce, and provides essential, basic information, such as the full names of both parties, social security numbers, the date of any separation, information about your children, where both parties are employed, and how many previous marriages either of you have had.
Step three—Notify the spouse of the filing
We also file a summons when we file your divorce complaint. The summons is then served on your spouse with a copy of your complaint. In the summons, your spouse is notified that he or she has 30 days to file an answer to the complaint. If your spouse does not answer within the allotted time, your divorce proceedings will likely take the path of an uncontested divorce. If your spouse answers with a written response, whether to admit or deny allegations, we move to the next step—discovery.
Step four—Discovery
The discovery pre-trial phase is when both parties may attempt to settle the divorce without trial. To do this, your attorney meets with your spouse’s attorney to discuss settlement terms or mediation. Settling out of court is much less expensive than going to trial, so it is often best if an agreeable out-of-court solution is possible. If settlement negotiations are not feasible, then the discovery phase focuses on collecting evidence, gathering witnesses, and building a case.
Step five—Attend the divorce hearing
At your divorce hearing, the attorneys for both parties present evidence to the judge who then makes several decisions. He or she must choose whether or not to grant a divorce, how property and debt should be divided, if and how much alimony should be awarded, and if and how much child custody, child support, or visitation should be granted.
Getting Franklin divorce help
For divorce advice or to file for divorce in Brentwood or Franklin, the law firm of Adrian H. Altshuler & Associates has years of experience as a successful Tennessee family law firm. With our firm, you can expect a personal approach and rigorous representation as you pass through this difficult time.
Reliable. Strong. Dedicated.
Clients rely on the Law Offices of Adrian H. Altshuler & Associates to protect their interests during the divorce process. They know we do everything we can to aggressively pursue justice on their behalf. We can do the same for you. Call us today at 1-888-328-0433 or use our convenient online form to schedule your free initial consultation.
