Divorce Lawyer in Alabama

Divorce, even when it is amicable or beneficial to both parties, can be emotionally exhausting and legally overwhelming. At Jim Golden Law, we understand the kind of emotional challenges you’re facing right now, and we want to do everything within our legal power to help lessen the burden and streamline the divorce process for you.

Our law firm has years of experience in family law matters like divorce cases, child custody matters, child support payments, and more. We would be proud to lend you our knowledge to better understand your legal options if you pursue divorce proceedings in Alabama.

We understand that, for you, this is no mere legal case. This is your life. And so, we will endeavor to handle your legal issues with the care that you deserve. To learn more about our legal services, please get in touch with our law offices to schedule a 30-minute free initial consultation.

What Are the Different Types of Alabama Divorce?

When exploring the potential of divorce or separation, you need to know that different options are available. Four options are uncontested divorces, contested divorces, annulments, and legal separations.

If you are not yet ready to file your final divorce documents, you may consider a legal separation instead. This allows both parties to live separately but remain married, giving them time to sort out their difficulties and reforge their bonds. When a legal separation occurs, there may be the need for specific family law matters to be discussed, such as child custody, visitation rights, child support, and maybe even spousal support (aka alimony). Many parts of your legal separation are temporary. You must file additional divorce paperwork if you decide to undergo formal divorce proceedings.

An uncontested divorce is the easiest type of divorce in Alabama. In uncontested divorces, both spouses agree to the terms of divorce. The terms that must be agreed upon may include property division, child custody, child support payments, and more. An uncontested divorce may be cheaper than a contested divorce for several reasons.

A contested divorce occurs when the divorcing spouses disagree on one or all terms related to the divorce. A contested divorce can be especially challenging, as the two parties may bring opposing legal counsel to the trial. To ‘win’ a contested divorce, you must begin working with family law attorneys sooner rather than later. When a divorce attorney signs on to your case, they can start building a strategy to ensure that your interests are looked after in the divorce process.

Annulments undo marriages by declaring that they were never legal in the first place. Naturally, all Alabama marriages are presumed to be legally invalid at the time of the marriage certificate and ceremony. However, if certain facts are presented to a family law judge, there may be grounds for annulment. Examples of grounds for an annulment include incest, bigamy, underage marriages, fraud, and marriage under duress.

Is an Uncontested Divorce Cheaper Than a Contested Divorce?

The longer that divorce proceedings go on, the more money you’ll shell out for attorney, courtroom, and other expenses. If a divorce can be sped up or shortened in any way, you will save money. That’s the difference between an uncontested divorce and a contested divorce. In an uncontested divorce, where the parties disagree on one or several factors, the divorce process may be prolonged indefinitely. In an uncontested divorce, where the two parties agree, factors surrounding the divorce will be sped up, allowing you to save time and money.

Is Alabama a No-Fault Divorce State?

Alabama is a no-fault divorce state, meaning no one needs to blame another person for a divorce to proceed. However, there are several acceptable grounds for divorce if you file for a fault-based separation. If you are looking to file for fault-based divorce, you must prove one of the grounds for divorce to the divorce law court overseeing your case.  Otherwise, you merely need to argue that there was some irretrievable breakdown of the marriage or simple incompatibility between the partners that led to the no-fault divorce.

What Are the Grounds for Divorce in Alabama?

If you are filing for a no-fault divorce, you need only argue that there was some breakdown of the marriage or incompatibility between the partners that led to the need to separate. If you are filing for a fault-based divorce, Alabama statutes detail different grounds for Divorce.
These include:

• Adultery.
• Crimes against nature.
• Domestic violence.
• Habitual drug abuse or alcohol abuse.
• Have been living separately for two years or more without support.
• Incapacity.
• Incurable insanity.
• The wife was pregnant with another man’s child at the time of marriage.
• Unlawful imprisonment.
• Voluntary abandonment.

What Are the Benefits of Hiring Divorce Lawyers in Alabama?

It is strongly recommended that you retain professional legal counsel when going through a divorce case.
As your legal representation, divorce attorney Jim Golden will put your best interests first and create achievable goals for all the divorce matters surrounding your unique case. Should your divorce devolve into heated disputes in the courtroom, you want a lawyer at your table who can keep things calm, cool, and collected. Losing one’s temper in a divorce case can reflect poorly on you in the eyes of a family law judge.

Our experienced legal team can put feelings aside and review the facts surrounding your divorce case objectively, which may not be possible for someone directly involved with the end of a marriage. We will aggressively negotiate on your behalf for the most agreeable terms possible and will be by your side throughout the entire divorce process.

Contact Us for a 30-Minute Free Consultation with an Experienced Divorce Attorney

Jim Golden Law has years of experience representing divorce cases and other types of family law issues across the state of Alabama. We have a proven track record of success, and we pride ourselves on being compassionate and respectful toward our clients because we know they are going through a difficult time and deserve nothing less.
To learn more about our legal services in divorce cases, please get in touch with our law office to schedule a free 30-minute case evaluation. You may call us at 866-950-6652.