Ending a relationship is rarely an easy choice. Seeking a dissolution of marriage or divorce in Virginia is the exclusive method of severing legal ties between you and your spouse.
Filing for divorce means you need to decide if you want to cite a reason for the split or if you want to proceed down a no-fault or reasonless course. Learn more about what giving reasons may do for your future and what requirements you need to fulfill when pursuing any path to divorce.
Does divorce require separation?
If you decide to pursue a divorce, you must have a verifiable physical separation, whether you want to list a reason or not. By law, if you do not have children, you and your spouse need to cohabitate separately for six months. If you are parents, that period extends to a year. However, you can reduce it to six months if you enter into a legal separation agreement.
What are the grounds for divorce?
The reason or grounds for your divorce may or may not help you through the process. If you have evidence that your spouse caused a rift that directly led to the divorce, you may present it to the judge during your hearing. It may benefit you when it comes to alimony or property division. Under the law, you may file for divorce if your spouse committed adultery or a court convicted him or her of a felony.
Reaching a reasonable divorce settlement agreement may prove beneficial if you want to forego a judge. Doing this may expedite the process and allow you to move on faster than waiting for a judge to decide your divorce settlement.
