There are a number of different options to divorce in Alabama. No two marriages are the same which makes that no two divorces are the same. But in general, a person filing for divorce (petitioner) does have a few different ways that they are able to divorce. In fact, more than 90% of divorces cases in Alabama reach out of court settlement agreements.
DIY Divorce (Do It Yourself)
The do it yourself divorce may seem to be the easiest and cheapest divorce option but can be the most expensive one. The divorce process can be a very legally and financially complicated process and a single mistake made during the divorce process can be irreversible.
There are times when the DIY approach makes sense. Such as when a marriage that lasted for a short period of time where there are no children, assets, debts or alimony.
There are several ways that people can go about the divorce process on their own. Many people prefer to use an online service that are non-licensed and are not attorneys. This is not recommended because it can lead to complicating the divorce process due to being done incorrectly and potentially hurting one or both parties.
Mediation Divorce
Mediation divorce in Alabama may be either voluntary or mandatory which means that it can be a mutual decision between the spouses or ordered by the court. Mediation can be a great way to resolve issues within a marriage without having to incur the expenses and emotional wear and tear of courtroom trials. In mediation it is best to have a divorce attorney who can help make sure that your side is represented correctly and that you get the best possible outcome.
Collaborative Process Divorce
In Alabama, the collaborative divorce process is similar to mediation but there are a few key differences. The divorce attorney will equally represent both parties without a mediator. The spouses agree to work to resolve their disputes with the help of team experts.
The expert and attorney’s fees are the major reason why most cases collaborative divorces are so expensive. However, it is the ideal option for couples with issues such as assets division, child support and custody and spousal support.
In a lot of cases when collaborative divorce fails, the case goes to trial.
Litigated Divorce
Litigation is very adversarial where each divorcing party and their attorney advocating for what is in their separate interests. Litigation can be a very long process. It can be very complex and demanding because it involves agreements about child custody, division of assets and liabilities, alimony payments, and everything else a divorcing couple may be in favor of.
A lot of times there are issues that a couple may decide to agree on, but find it very hard or even impossible to agree on the terms.
