Divorce and litigation are basically synonymous to most people. The intense emotions present in divorce often mean that couples spend weeks or months in court fighting over every little detail from their married life.
However, you don’t have to litigate your divorce. Uncontested divorce filings are absolutely an option. In fact, there are many benefits to filing an uncontested divorce, including the four below.
Uncontested divorces help spouses limit conflict
When you see one another as the enemy, it’s natural to fight. When you have to cooperate, you may be able to start rebuilding your relationship a bit. Negotiating a settlement often requires redeveloping communication skills and compromising. You can keep conflict lower when you both commit to resolving matters outside of court.
Uncontested divorce will be easier on your kids
Any divorce is hard on your children, but the biggest problem is the fighting between you and your ex. The more intense your negative emotions are and the more you expose your children to them, the worse and longer-lasting the impacts of the divorce will be for them.
Uncontested divorces mean that kids don’t have to testify and that parents work together instead of fighting. The results may be far less stress for the children.
Uncontested divorces keep your embarrassing issues private
Couples often end up sharing very private details about their relationship in court to secure the property division or custody outcome they want. In an uncontested filing, the two of you can talk about those issues behind closed doors to factor them into the terms you set without making them part of the public record.
Uncontested divorces are faster and therefore cheaper
Needing a judge to make decisions about your divorce will make your divorce last a lot longer. First, you have to gather all of the evidence, and then you have to present it to the judge. The judge has to go over everything and then try to decide what is fair and appropriate given your circumstances.
Filing for a contested divorce could add months to an already lengthy process. While it may take a few weeks to settle things ourselves before you file, uncontested filings typically require minimal court involvement and will therefore be much faster. Faster proceedings with less court involvement are also necessarily cheaper because court costs are a major contribution to the overall expense involved in a divorce.
Recognizing how beneficial an uncontested divorce might be could motivate you to work out a settlement with your ex when it is time to end your marriage.