Skip to main content

Starting the Divorce Process: Part 2 - Is there a Wrong Way to Start?

There is no one-size fits all divorce process and for that reason there are a number of different ways to start a divorce in Massachusetts.  This means that you have options!  Unfortunately, that is not the same message you will hear from everyone, because who you ask this question to makes a difference in the answers you will receive.

Most cases settle, even when they start in litigation.  
So why do more people start with litigation?

You may have heard the story about the woman with back pain who asks her doctor what she should do.  The doctor prescribes pain medication and exercise.  She wants a second opinion so she visits a surgeon, and the surgeon recommends surgery.  She's not ready for surgery so she seeks a third opinion from a chiropractor who tells her that all she needs is regular adjustments.  Finally, when she complains to her therapist about not knowing what to do with these differing opinions, her therapist tells her the pain is in her head and she needs to focus on her therapy more.

The cynic would say that each professional is just trying to bill a patient, but in reality professionals are all trained to see problems in light of the solutions they have learned to provide.  The same is true for divorce professionals.

Many people start with litigation because the first professional they ask about divorce is a litigation attorney.

If you research online and stuck to the first few search results your will experience the same problem.  At a recent presentation, Rackham Karlsson, a Massachusetts Collaborative Divorce Attorney and Mediator, pointed out that online resources tend to focus on only one option for starting a divorce: filing for divorce in court.

The first three google results for "divorce in Massachusetts" (when searching in incognito mode to avoid my browsing history affecting the search) are: the Mass.gov Divorce site, the Mass Trial Court Law Library Divorce FAQ, and Mass Legal Help Basic Information about Divorce and Separation.  None of these sites mention mediation, mediators, arbitration, collaborative law or any alternative dispute resolution options. They all assume that when seeking divorce information you are ready to file with the court.  These sites don't tell you how to get ready to file with the court, or when you should file with the court, leaving many people to believe that filing with the court is the first step.

For example, Mass Legal Help answers the question "How do I start the divorce process?" as follows:
You file the Complaint for Divorce and other documents at the appropriate Probate and Family Court. If there is an Affidavit of Indigency in proper form, the clerk should approve it and stamp it, and give you a copy. You will also get a Domestic Relations Summons. Arrange for the sheriff to give a copy of the complaint to your spouse. When the sheriff does this, it is called "service of process," meaning that the sheriff has served (legally delivered) the papers to the spouse.

Before trial, either party may request that the court make temporary orders, for example concerning custody, child support, or visitation. Either party must request a pre-trial conference, and then there is a final hearing, the trial.
WRONG!

The answer provided by Mass Legal Help is the answer to a completely different question: "How do I start a divorce after I have exhausted all options for reaching an agreement?"

Filing with the Court should not be the first step in a divorce case unless there are emergency issues that cannot be resolved through agreement, such as when there is ongoing domestic violence or financial dishonesty.  Even in cases where there is an emergency that requires going to court immediately, only a small percentage of cases go to trial.

95% of divorce cases settle.

Before you start any divorce process, you should first ask yourself, what are my goals with the divorce.  If most divorce cases settle, then how do you get to the best settlement in the most efficient way possible? You find the divorce process that is right for you.

In most cases, the out-of-court options available for starting a divorce will lead to faster, cheaper and less acrimonious resolution than going to court.  There is a whole spectrum of options for getting divorced in Massachusetts and what you choose depends on how much help you want with all of the various issues involved in a divorce.

We believe there is a right answer to the question "How do I start the divorce process?"  The right answer should inform people of their right to go to court and of their right to settle outside of court.  The right answer should highlight the various options available and the benefits of reaching agreement out of court.  We have drafted the right answer in our previous post available here.

In addition, our next post will focus in greater detail on each of the options for starting a divorce:

Starting the Divorce Process: Part 3 - What is the Best Way to get Divorced?


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

New Massachusetts Child Support Guidelines (2021): Big Changes, Little Changes, Typos & some Unexpected Results

UPDATE: The court has released a web calculating version of the 2021 MA Child Support Guidelines Worksheet .  It resolves some of the typos referred to below, but the unexpected calculations still apply. Every four years, per federal mandate, the Massachusetts Probate & Family Court revisits the Child Support Guidelines through the work of a Task Force appointed by the Chief Justice.  The 2021 Massachusetts Child Support Guidelines were recently posted.  They take effect on October 4, 2021.    If you are interested in a training on all of these changes to the new Child Support Guidelines: DMTA Presents the 2021 MA Child Support Guidelines Update  – Attend this event to learn the key updates you need to know for your mediation clients. Presented by Justin Kelsey of  Divorce Mediation Training Associates  and  Skylark Law & Mediation, PC . For a full comparison of all the  tracked changes between the 2018 and 2021 Massachusetts Child Support Guidelines you can download a pdf sho

What is the purpose of the Divorce Nisi waiting period?

In Massachusetts the statutory waiting period after a Judgment of Divorce and before the divorce becomes final (or absolute) is called the Nisi period. After a divorce case settles or goes to trial, a Judgment of Divorce Nisi will issue and it will become Absolute after a further ninety (90) days. This waiting period serves the purpose of allowing parties to change their mind before the divorce becomes final. If the Judgment of Divorce Nisi has issued but not become final yet, and you and your spouse decide you don't want to get divorced, then you can file a Motion to Dismiss and the Judgment will be undone. Although many of my clients who are getting divorced think the idea of getting back together with their ex sounds crazy, I have had cases where this happened. In addition to offering a grace period to change your mind, the Nisi period has three other legal effects: 1. The most obvious effect of the waiting period is that you cannot remarry during the Nisi period, be

Online Tool for Creating Parenting Plans

It is our hope that all families find a way to resolve conflict peacefully.  This is especially true when children are involved.  Divorced or separated parenting has many complications and the first is just deciding how to share time with a child from two separate households.  Developing a schedule can result in a lot of tension, especially if parents have trouble picturing how this new schedule will interact with their work schedules and the schedules of their children. To help make this easier, we've created an online tool for creating parenting plans that is simple and easy to use: We encourage parents, regardless of the process they are using to divorce, to use this form to assist in evaluating and settling custody disputes. The form allows you to choose between the Model Parenting Plan proposals or customize your parenting plan over a four week period by clicking directly on the form.  When you click on a section of the calendar it switches between Mom and Dad, an