Minnesota does not recognize common-law marriage. Common-law marriage involves couples who treat each other as if they are married, hold themselves out as married and believe themselves to be married as a matter of law. Often, parties to a common-law marriage will refer to each other as husband and wife, share last names or file
Every person going through divorce will face one fundamental decision time and again: Do I compromise or do I stand firm in my position? Certainly there are times for both. As often as possible, however, we recommend taking the high road and giving a little of yourself for the greater good of your family. This
A host of implications follow the issuance of an Order for Protection in Minnesota when a marital dissolution action is pending or will be filed:
Marriage dissolution petition. A petition for dissolution of marriage or legal separation must allege whether an OFP that governs the parties or a party and a minor child of the
In a proceeding for an OFP under the Domestic Abuse Act, the court may provide the following relief, upon notice and hearing:
The violaton of an Order for Protection in Minnesota can yield a number of penalties for those who are found to have done so, including criminal penalties, civil contempt and firearm possession implications.
Criminal penalties. Minnesota law provides misdemeanor, gross misdemeanor, and felony penalties for a violation of an OFP issued under the Domestic
When people mediate, they bring their conflict to a place where they try to settle their dispute. To assist with the process, an impartial third person, or “mediator” helps them reach an agreement. The mediator does not take sides or make decisions. Rather, he or she should be fair to all parties and help them
You and your spouse agree to sell the house (or other real estate) and divide the money from the sale 50%-50%. Here are some of the issues that come up in many divorces:
You owned a house before the marriage. You paid $15,000 cash, and took out a mortgage for $110,000. You made mortgage payments of $800 a month for 2 years before the marriage. Before getting married, you made substantial improvements to the house, increasing the value. After 5 years of marriage, you are getting divorced and
In Minnesota, divorce and family cases are tried to the court, not to a jury. This usually results in significant cost and time savings for each of the parties. For example, a case that might take a week to try to a jury may conclude in half the time through the use of a court
Although divorce is quite common in our society, we understand that you probably haven’t been through it before. Perhaps the most difficult decision in the entire divorce process is the one that you will make prior to contacting an attorney – the decision to dissolve your marriage.
Once you have determined this is the appropriate