If you and your spouse can figure out how to reach an agreement with minimal or no negotiation or arguments, you may be able to reduce the overall cost of your divorce. Fault divorces litigate who is at fault for the breach and determine who receives most of the property or damage based on proof of that fault. There are cases in simplified divorces where the waiting period is reduced to 30 days, but that only applies in specific circumstances. You also have the option of filing for divorce and claiming a person is to blame for the failure of the marriage.
If the Absolute is not yet in effect, you and your spouse stipulate that the divorce action be dismissed. There is no need for a trial and the process is simpler, faster and less expensive than a contested divorce. There are simplified divorce procedures for people who fully agree and can apply to you. But if you lived together in Massachusetts when one of you moved, or when you agreed to divorce, you would meet the residency requirement as long as one of you still lived in the state when you filed for a no-fault 1A divorce together.
Even if you realize that a week after your wedding marriage was a mistake, you still have to get divorced. If you have reached an agreement with a mediator or on your own, it's a good idea to have a lawyer review the agreement and advise you of any problems, but that would cost less than having a lawyer handle the entire divorce. When you file for divorce, you must state the legal reason, or reason, why you want to end your marriage. It will also make it easier to finalize your divorce, as those terms will be favored during the proceedings.
In an uncontested divorce, also called a no-fault 1A divorce in Massachusetts, the spouses agree on all matters necessary to end their marriage. Separation agreements often occur before a divorce to establish the terms of child custody, the division of debts and property, and what to do with the family home. States that do not offer grounds for fault for divorce include Wisconsin, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Nebraska, Montana, Missouri, Minnesota, Michigan, Kentucky, Kansas, Iowa, Indiana, Hawaii, Florida, Colorado, and California.
