Matters About Contentious Divorces in the State of Alabama

The proceedings might get more complicated if one spouse does not agree to the divorce. If you cannot locate the present domicile of your spouse, regardless of having valid reasons for divorce, you are ineligible to initiate the filing process. 

You may have identified your soulmate. However, they persistently decline to affix their signature on the marriage license. Another possible scenario is that you and your husband have decided to divorce but cannot reach an agreement regarding child custody, alimony, or the division of assets. 

There is hope despite a disputed divorce being incredibly stressful. A Birmingham contested divorce attorney can assist you with the same.

Disagreement Over a Divorce in Alabama

When a divorce in Alabama becomes “contested” because either party is fighting the divorce or the parties cannot agree on a critical aspect, the divorce is contentious. The parties to an uncontested divorce have agreed on all material matters.

The most common grounds for a divorce dispute are:

• One partner is unable to locate the other. A potential divorcing spouse is unsure how to locate their other half to initiate the divorce proceedings.

• One partner challenges the divorce. It does not take much for the divorce process to turn contentious when one partner refuses to sign the paperwork or wishes to continue making marital efforts.

• No mutually agreeable distribution of marital assets or debts has been reached. The parties to a divorce in Alabama are typically left to their own devices when dividing specific assets (and obligations), although the law does provide clear guidance. When there is a lack of consensus, progress may be severely impeded.

• Maintaining a joint income is too contentious for the couple to agree on. “alimony” can refer to monetary payments made by one spouse to the other. Typically, its purpose is to help the lower-income spouse continue living comfortably until they can do without it. The matter will likely be contentious whether one party anticipates paying or receiving alimony.

• Child support, visiting rights, and custody are all areas where the couples are at odds. Finding a solution to the complicated issues of child custody, including who will make meaningful choices about the children’s needs, how frequently each parent will see the children, and how much money will be needed to help with everyday expenses. Deciding on child support or establishing child custody is at the heart of many contentious divorces.

• The particular facts and circumstances of each divorce case determine the issues of contention. Many couples going through a divorce find common ground on most issues but become “stuck” on one particular one. Some people wind up debating every single point.