Divorce & Marital Settlement Agreements

Are you so ready for divorce that you just want to enter the papers in court and be done with it? If so, you may qualify for a marital settlement agreement.

In the state of California, any couples who want to seek an uncontested divorce can enter marital settlement agreements in lieu of a divorce trial. In fact, many of these couples will not even appear in court themselves, but rather send an attorney to file the papers and appear before the judge for them.

The agreement outlines the financial, property and other marital issues at hand that would normally be discussed in court. This includes the characterization of the community estate, private property and debts; income taxes; as well as preliminary and final declarations of disclosure.

However, when children are involved in a divorce, it can be more difficult to obtain a marital settlement agreement. Yet, if you and your spouse can agree on child custody and child support, it is possible to seek a settlement agreement. To do so, you must outline who will obtain custody of the child and what type of custody each person is agreeing to. In addition, you have to provide a dollar amount for monthly child support payments that will have to be approved by the judge.

For additional information about marital settlement agreements, take the time to work with a family law attorney in your city of residence.