The Minnesota Judicial Branch has published an exceptional brochure entitled “From the Judges of Family Court: What to Expect…Divorce in Minnesota.” In reviewing, it appears to serve as a “reality check” for the litigants. Much of it we endorse. Here is some of what the Court has to say:
A divorce can be a painful
Many potential clients ask about the difference between a legal separation and a divorce. It is important to consider the meaning of a “separation” and a “legal separation.” Most couples opt for mere separation, as opposed to a “legal” one.
“Separation” simply means living apart. You do not need to file court papers to separate.
Many of our clients are worried about the fact that they believe their spouse is hiding assets or won’t provide the information necessary to move a case along. The Minnesota Rules of Civil Procedure give divorce attorneys a series of tools that allow us to gather information in a number of ways, including:
Depending upon the facts and legal issues involved in your divorce, a number of experts may play a role in your case, including a home appraiser, actuary, custody evaluator, business appraiser and vocational assessor.
The most common expert we employ is a home appraiser. In most cases the most valuable asset for division is the
Whether you decide to contact our firm or speak with another attorney, you should probably speak with a divorce lawyer about your situation before utilizing the various free online divorce forms that are scattered across the internet. Our suggestion is in line with every district court judge we have encountered.
As an attorney, you can
One of the more common questions we face from a potential client involves title to property- whether a car, boat, house, ATV, business, bank account or otherwise. They ask, “My spouse says that because my [insert the property interest] is not titled in my name, I am not entitled to any of it. Is that
Yesterday, the Minneapolis Star Tribune published part one on a series outlining the deteriorating housing market in the Twin Cities. Written by Chris Serres, Jim Buchta and Glenn Howatt, Minnesota’s New Ghost Towns offers a surprising and depressing look at the current status of suburban real estate in Minnesota.
We have seen a drastic shift
Depending upon your point of view, you may or may not appreciate the fact that Minnesota law contains a presumption of sole physical custody. So many potential clients ask about that. I don’t believe it is a question of whether the standard will change, but when the standard will change – based upon recent legislative
We have the responsibility to tell every potential client that we “aren’t sure.” Now…how’s that for building credibility with someone who wants to entrust their life with you for a bit?
The truth is that we really don’t know how much a divorce is going to cost in the end. An attorney who tells you
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