Every Divorce is Different

If you are divorcing, planning a divorce, or anticipating a divorce in or near the Las Vegas area, it is important for you to be advised and represented by a Las Vegas divorce attorney as soon as you know that a divorce is inevitable.

It is no secret that most divorces are acrimonious. In many cases, neither partner is willing to compromise, so bitterness and contention dominate the divorce process. When a marriage is dissolved that way, it may not even be possible for the spouses to remain cordial to one another.

Other couples have simply realized that marriage is no longer right for them, and they divorce without hostilities or highly-charged emotions. They manage to keep their friendship alive, and in fact, some spouses even continue living together during and after the divorce process.

What Does the Law Require?

Divorce is relatively easy in Nevada compared to most other states. In order to obtain a divorce in Nevada, at least one of the spouses must have resided in the state for at least six weeks.

When you file for a divorce in the State of Nevada, you need only one of these three reasons:

  1.  You and your spouse are incompatible.
  2.  You and your spouse have been separated for at least one year.
  3.  Your spouse has been declared legally insane for at least two years.

In some states, divorcing spouses must adhere to a number of strict rules and are not allowed to live together during the time their divorce is pending. Nevada imposes no such rules or restrictions on couples who are seeking a divorce in this state.

Why Do Some Couples Live Together While Divorcing?

Living together while divorcing may strike some of us as odd, but there are a number of sound, practical reasons why a divorcing couple may choose to continue living together while and even after they divorce. Those reasons include but are not limited to:

  1.  Sharing expenses: If you and the spouse you are divorcing live together while the divorce is pending, you will both save money by sharing your rent or mortgage and other household expenses.
  2.  The children: If you and your spouse are the parents of a minor child or children, living together lets your child or children remain in a familiar home and neighborhood while adjusting to the new reality of parents who are divorced.
  3.  Simple convenience: Moving is always costly, stressful, and inconvenient. Divorcing couples can avoid that stress, cost, and inconvenience if they can continue living together during and even after they divorce.

Disadvantages of Living Together During a Divorce

While there are some clear advantages for couples who live together during and after divorce, there are also some clear disadvantages. For example, if your ex is your “roommate,” it makes dating anyone else difficult. At best, your situation will be awkward.

And while living together lets children remain in a familiar home and neighborhood, your own child or children may wonder why you are both still residing in the same household. Living together may also make it difficult for some children to “move on” and eventually accept the divorce.

Additionally, living with your ex could have unexpected ramifications for court-ordered alimony and child support payments. The spouse who receives those payments will probably receive less than that spouse would receive if the couple lived in separate residences.

How Can You Divorce – and Remain Friends?

It is still rare for a couple to live together during and after a divorce, but no divorce necessarily has to be hostile or bitter. If you use mediation or negotiation – rather than a courtroom – to settle your differences, those differences can often be resolved without acrimony.

When spouses can agree about alimony, property, child custody, and child support, they can save a great deal of money, time, and aggravation. If no agreement is possible, and the spouses battle it out in court, a judge will make the final decisions, and the divorce will be more costly.

If you are divorcing in or near the Las Vegas area, have a Las Vegas divorce lawyer explain all of your options for settling your differences with your spouse. You do not have to live with your ex, but nothing good comes from a contentious courtroom battle.

If you believe that your disagreements can be settled out-of-court, and you choose one of these alternatives – mediation, collaborative divorce, or private negotiations – your Las Vegas divorce lawyer will guide you through each step of the process.

What Else Should You Know About Divorce in Nevada?

Nevada offers two types of divorce proceedings: “formal” divorce proceedings for contested divorces, and simplified, “summary” divorce proceedings for uncontested divorces.

There are no juries in Nevada divorces. In a formal divorce proceeding, a judge decides on the matters that may be in dispute: alimony, child custody and support, and/or the division of marital property. Additionally, a judge may order one spouse to pay the other’s attorney’s fees.

Provided that nothing is in dispute and that the other requirements for a divorce in Nevada have been satisfied, couples may file jointly for a summary divorce, which is considerably faster and less costly than a formal divorce proceeding.

How Should You Choose a Divorce Attorney?

When Fuller Law Practice represents you in a divorce, we handle the negotiations, work through the disputes, and prepare all of the necessary legal paperwork on your behalf. We will ensure that you keep what is yours and receive any alimony or child support sum that you are entitled to.

For over seventeen years, award-winning Las Vegas divorce attorney Rebecca A. Fuller has successfully represented her clients in divorce proceedings, protecting their rights and ensuring that they are treated fairly and justly from the beginning through the end of the divorce process.

The decisions that you make during the divorce process may have a lasting impact on you and your children. You must have the guidance, insights, sound legal advice, and effective legal representation that Fuller Law Practice and attorney Rebecca A. Fuller provide.

Your divorce lawyer should be sensitive to your needs but aggressive in the defense of your rights and interests. When you know that the marriage is going to end, promptly call the Las Vegas offices of Fuller Law Practice at 702-935-4144, and let us go to work on your behalf.