Parties are often able to reach a separation agreement on the issues of child custody, visitation, alimony, child support, property, or the other disputed issues between them. With the help of their lawyers, parties decide existing issues through negotiation or mediation. This process has substantial cost savings over proceeding all the way to trial, enables the parties to control the outcome rather than having it imposed upon them by a judge, and causes significantly less stress for family members.
Beverly K. Ballinger has over 25 years of experience in negotiating settlements. We can draft a settlement agreement to present to your spouse which contains the language you want. We can also help you analyze a proposal from your spouse and fashion a counteroffer on the relevant issues, whether they are child custody, visitation, alimony/spousal support, or property division.
Separation agreements can be put on the record and approved by a judge before or at the same time you obtain a divorce. If you are seeking a no fault divorce, and would have to live apart from your spouse for a one (1) year period, parties often reach an agreement on the disputed issues before the expiration of that time. In that case, the separation agreement can and should be put on the record as soon as possible. The parties can then proceed efficiently with an uncontested, no fault divorce. In other cases, the timing of the finalization of the agreement enables the parties to get their agreement approved and obtain a divorce simultaneously.