The holidays are fast approaching, and you may be tabling parts of your non-urgent to-do list until after they have come and gone. While this is a time-saving and stress-reducing strategy for many tasks, it is not always the right way to handle a possible divorce. If you know your marriage has reached its final stages, do not put off contacting a skilled Raleigh divorce attorney until after the holidays. The benefits of waiting will not be worth the possible emotional and financial toll it could take on you and your family.
North Carolina’s Requirements for Filing for a Divorce
Each state has its own laws about divorces, including the requirements to file for one. In North Carolina, you are only eligible for a divorce once you have been legally separated from your spouse for a minimum of one year and one day. The law defines the separation as living in different households and at least one of you intending for it to be permanent during that time. There are no exceptions to this law found in North Carolina General Statutes § 50-6.
Since there are defined time periods within the law, the sooner you contact a divorce lawyer in Raleigh to get your divorce started, the sooner your divorce could be finalized. Waiting until after the holidays will only prolong the end of your legal marriage, especially if you are not already separated from your spouse.
In addition, to file for a divorce, you or your spouse must currently reside in North Carolina and have lived there for at least six months. Your spouse does not have to agree to a divorce, file anything with the court, or even sign anything. As long as the other requirements for divorce are meant, you do not need anything from your spouse to start a divorce.
Working Out the Details
When there are children and assets involved, divorce has the potential to become quite complicated. It can take time to work out the details of custody, child support, spousal support, and asset division, especially if you and your spouse do not see eye to eye. By reaching out to a divorce attorney in Raleigh now, you can begin to work on these issues instead of waiting until after the holidays. Your attorney can help you understand what your options are and which ones might be best for your family and your specific situation.
A Raleigh Divorce Lawyer is on Your Side: Reach Out Today
Putting off tasks on your to-do list is perfectly fine in some instances. However, divorce is not one of them. If you are ready to begin the next chapter of your life, do not wait until after the holidays or procrastinate for some other reason. Sometimes, prolonging the inevitable and only serve to make it worse. Reach out to our knowledgeable and compassionate team today at Daphne Edwards Divorce & Family Law by calling 919-891-8552 or using our online contact form.