Divorce is a broad term used to describe the legal end of a marriage between two spouses brought about by one spouse suing the other. There are several common terms used when describing divorce in Rhode Island:
- Contested – when the spouses are unable to agree
- Uncontested – when the spouses are able to agree
- Mediation – when the spouses use a third party to assist in resolving the issues
- Litigation – when the spouses use the court system to resolve the issues
- Nominal – when the divorce occurs by the spouses’ agreement without the need for hearings or trials
- Common law marriage – when the spouses held themselves out as a married couple but never secured a marriage license and, thus require a legal end to their relationship
- Fault divorce – when one spouse alleges the other committed adultery, cruelty or abandonment and they have proof
- No-fault divorce – when neither spouse is individually at fault, most often granted based on “irreconciled differences”
- Divorce from bed and board – the spouses remain legally married but do not cohabitate and cannot marry a new party
- Legal separation – when the spouses remain legally married but have a clear separation of aspects of their lives memorialized in a legal document
If you are feeling confused, you are not alone! Without the use of an experienced attorney, you risk making decisions which could have long-lasting consequences that you are not able to anticipate without the assistance of an experienced attorney. With Attorney Grasso’s experience as a Rhode Island divorce attorney, you will have a clear understanding of not only the divorce process and terms, but what they mean for you personally. This will allow you to make an informed decision on how to proceed to ensure your future is protected.
