Did you know that the U.S divorce rate is among the highest in the world? In fact, the average length of a marriage in the U.S. is 8.2 years.
For a lot of couples, there comes a time when they feel like parting ways is the best way forward. It can be a traumatic process, especially if your spouse is a particularly difficult person to deal with or if you have children. The legal process can be long and tedious, but hopefully, at the end of it, your divorce record or decree will be worth it.
So, what should you expect to see in your divorce record? And more importantly, what is it?
This article explores it all.
What Is a Divorce Record?
While looking for information about divorce online, you may have come across the terms divorce certificate and divorce record.
A divorce record, decree, or judgment of dissolution is a legal document that marks the end of your marriage. It will contain important information pertaining to the division of assets, custody agreements, and more, specific to your case.
On the other hand, a divorce certificate is a document that serves as proof of your divorce, generally issued by an office within your state. Additionally, not all states provide divorce certificates.
General Information in a Divorce Record
If your divorce was reached through settlement, the court may simply attach your agreed-upon terms (within the settlement agreement document) to the final decree. In this case, your decree may contain less information than your settlement agreement.
However, in general, a decree may include information like names, and other relevant personal information about the spouses and children (if any). In addition to this, the name of your attorneys, case number, the beginning and end dates for your marriage, and a statement that your divorce has been made final.
Other Information
Further, the decree will also address issues specific to your divorce. This includes information about property, debt, and asset division between the two spouses. In the case of children, there will be information about custodial rights, parenting time, and visitation rights for both parents, as relevant to your case.
Maintenance for children, alimony, retirement account division, and other financial information will also be outlined in your divorce record. Finally, you, your (now former) spouse, your attorneys, and the court judge will be required to sign the decree. Depending on where you are from, the record will then be stamped with the court seal.
Get the Legal Help You Need
Making the decision to get a divorce, and then actually going through the process is not easy. However, at the end of it, many individuals find that they feel at peace and ready to start afresh. Once you have a copy of your divorce record in hand, we hope you can feel the same.
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