Where to File for a Divorce

Marriage is a legal contract between two individuals, and a couple entering this legal contract need to fulfill some basic requirements according to the law of the land. If someone wishes to separate from their spouse and cancel their legal duties towards their spouse, they need to file for a divorce.

Different Types of Divorce
As getting a divorce is not a spur of the moment action, it is essential to gather all the facts before you take any legal action or find a divorce lawyer. One of the types of divorce is filing for a no fault divorce, wherein the claimant can cite irreconcilable differences as the grounds for divorce. The state of Oklahoma was the first to introduce 'No Fault Divorce' law in 1953, which is now been adopted by all states except the state of New York. 'At-Fault Divorce', only applicable in the state of New York, requires the party seeking divorce to prove that the partner acted in a way that was against the union of marriage. 'Summary Divorce' is applicable in some states, it requires a petition from the client and submission of some documents, and is a faster way of getting a divorce. Eligibility criteria states that the couple should not have been married for more than 5 years, they should not have minor children, their marital assets should not exceed USD 35,000. 'Uncontested Divorce', according to divorce statistics is the most popular form of divorce in the United States, and the only requirement for this is a mutual agreement between the two parties. The petitioner does not even require divorce lawyers or counsel as long as both the parties agree on all the issues. 'Collaborative Divorce' is when both the parties negotiate and come to an agreement with the help of mediators, divorce lawyers, and financial advisers. 'Mediated Divorce' is a form of divorce in which a mediator who gives divorce advice, assists the parties with a divorce settlement agreement and gets them to sign a legally binding contract which is later submitted to the courts. The divorce cost is minimal as divorce without a lawyer is possible in this case.

Anyone seeking a divorce can decide which type of divorce is best suited for them. Divorce can be very emotionally and financially debilitating, hence anyone who decides to go through a divorce will benefit if they are aware of all the available options. There are attorney's and mediators who give divorce advice for men and women. If you are seeking divorce, it is suggested that you have all your legal and personal documents in order. Some states have online self-help centers which assist you in divorce proceedings and procedure. A spouse seeking divorce can file a petition with the county or district branch of the state's superior or circuit court, some states even have a specific family court wherein one can file for a divorce. The California superior court has a branch in each county and you can file for a divorce in one of these branches. California divorce law also requires that one of the spouses seeking divorce has to have lived in California for more than 6 months. You can file for a divorce in a specific county of California if you have lived there for more than 3 months. Every state has its different residency requirements for filing a divorce, some states require a minimum of 6 weeks stay before filing a divorce petition in that state. Some other requirements are that the person filing for divorce or the spouse should have been staying in Texas for more than six months, and needs to have US citizenship preceding at least 90 days before filing for divorce. For the question where to file for divorce in Michigan, the family division of the circuit courts handles all the divorce filings. The party filing divorce has to be a resident of the state of Michigan for more than 6 months and has to be living for more than 10 days in the county they wish to file a divorce suit in. If you wish to file for divorce, you will have to check with your local, district or county court branch for more information about the residency requirements.

The reasons for divorce vary from individual to individual and coping with divorce is not easy, but there are divorce support groups who help you through this trying time.