subject: Options Other Than Divorce [print this page] When you contact a divorce law firm, you do have options other than divorce. Even though divorces may seem like extremely traumatic events or, for some people, downright failures, Chicago divorce law firms do not get that many clients who want to go with the other two options other than divorce. There are good reasons for this. Divorce law attorneys specialize in helping couples end their marriages as fairly as possible. Under certain circumstances, options other than divorce may be suitable, but they are typically few and far between.
Legal Separation
A legal separation is one of the other options that a divorce law firm can help you to explore. The big disadvantage in a legal separation is simply the fact that you remain married to the person. This means that you remain liable for their debts, your finances are still intertwined in some other ways and that the other legal ways that marriage ties you together still largely apply. You also have to maintain separate residences to qualify for being legally separated. When you look at this arrangement, it's easy to understand why Chicago divorce law firms don't get many clients who want to go with it.
First, even though you are legally separated, you are, practically, still married. You really don't have a definitive end to the relationship in these circumstances. Because of that, divorce law firms deal with clients who want a true divorce far more than they deal with clients who want a legal separation. If you're not sure whether a legal separation is really what you and your partner would benefit from the most, you'll want to talk to the attorneys at a divorce law firm so you understand what it really means.
Annulment
There are situations where somebody comes into a divorce law firm and where they basically want to change the world in a way that it makes it so that their marriage never happened. The legal term for doing this is called annulment. It really does make it as if your marriage never happened. In order to pursue this option, however, divorce law firms have to be able to establish that you meet some very specific criteria.
The divorce law firm will have to establish that there was a valid reason that your marriage never should have happened from a legal standpoint. These include marrying a blood relative, marrying someone who really didn't have the capacity to consent to being married, instances of fraud and bigamy or instances where somebody married an underage person. Obviously, Chicago divorce law firms see very few people who meet these criteria and this is a very uncommon option but, when it's necessary, it is most certainly the appropriate option.
Chicago divorce law firms will know about the different options that you have under the law. If you're ready to petition for dissolution of your marriage and start your life over, divorce is likely the best option for you. If you meet one of the other criteria, however, you may want to pursue a different option and a divorce law firm can help you do so.
