Post Judgment Divorce Options
You’ve gone to Court and the Judge has issued a Divorce Decree that you think is unfair, or you are otherwise unhappy with it. Can you appeal the Judge’s decision? Yes, there are a number of avenues you can take that our firm can help you with. The rules for filing an appeal are very strict, especially concerning the processing of the appropriate legal documents. For instance, failure to submit a brief in the correct format, or a mistake in how the brief and appendix are to be prepared, could cause the clerk's office to reject the submission. When a client is serious about winning an appeal, enlisting the services of an experienced attorney is crucial.
Our attorneys evaluate your case and determine which option from the below list is the best option to change the results in your case.
Two Types of Divorce in Maryland: Limited versus Absolute Divorce
Maryland recognizes two kinds of divorce: limited and absolute. There are a number of significant differences between the two types and certain circumstances in which to file for one versus the other. The attorneys at the Mulinazzi Law Office can sit down with you to discuss which is best to file for under the facts for your particular case but in general:
1. Limited Divorce --- A limited divorce is not a divorce at all; instead, it’s a legal separation from bed and board – pending the outcome of the final divorce (called “Absolute Divorce” see below). In a Limited Divorce spouses can receive relief from the Court on only certain specific issues. These include: custody, child access, child support, exclusive use and possession of the family home, alimony, and attorney’s fees. It is important to know, that property issues are NOT resolved at this time (pensions, 401ks, house, etc.).
A Divorce Timeline: The Steps to Getting Divorced
When divorcing, it’s difficult to know what to expect. Divorce is a complicated process that can be full of frustrating delays and unpleasant surprises. An idea of what is going to happen when can make an uncomfortable time a little more predictable. Every divorce is different depending on your situation and also where you choose to get divorced, but the following timeline is a general overview of what steps will happen when.
1. To start the Divorce process, either you or your spouse obtains a lawyer who writes and files a Petition with the court also known as a Complaint for Divorce. This is a legal document that states why the spouse wants to divorce and how the spouse wants to resolve financial, custody, child support, and other issues.
What is Discovery and Why is it Necessary?
Discovery is necessary because what you know is not as important as what you can prove.
Discovery is the phase of litigation in which both sides request information from one another. The purpose is to learn about each position taken by each side to facilitate a settlement or, if a settlement is not possible, to get as much information as possible to be used at trial.
There are two main types of discovery in Family Law cases: Interrogatories and Requests for Production of Documents. These requests must be made formally and sent to the other side or his/her lawyer. Once received, the Maryland Rules state that you have thirty (30) days to answer. There is a prescribed format for answering these discovery requests and you may find that you will need an attorney to help you ask for discovery and to respond to the other side’s discovery requests of you. Please note that you are required to respond to these requests and failure to do so may result in various sanctions against you.
Assets and Liabilities: What’s Mine and What’s Yours?
Maryland is an equitable distribution state which means that the court will equitably divide and distribute the marital property and liabilities in a divorce action. Equitable means “fair”; it does not always require a 50/50 split.
Nevertheless, the presumption is that the distribution should be equal unless there is a justification for an unequal distribution. The court will analyze a number of statutory factors to determine if an unequal distribution of assets and/or liabilities is justified. Marital fault is only one of many considerations that a Judge will look at if s/he decides to unequally distribute the marital assets.