Friendly Divorce Attorney in St. Paul, Minnesota

• Prompt and expeditious management of your divorce case
• Skilled, professional, and approachable attorneys and staff who will educate you about the process and treat you with courtesy and respect.
• A reasonable, all-inclusive fee because you have an agreement. You will know exactly how much your divorce will cost at the outset.

You are a good candidate for Friendly Divorce if:

• You have met with a mediator or financial professional and settled all issues in your divorce.
• You and your spouse reached agreement on all issues in your divorce between the two of you.
• You and your spouse trust each other and are willing to work cooperatively to finalize your divorce.
• Either you or your spouse agree to enter into an engagement with Maxim Smith.  Ethically we can only represent one member of the couple.

Is Friendly Divorce right for you?

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Traditional Divorce Consultation

Friendly Divorce is not appropriate and you will need a traditional divorce consultation if:

• Domestic violence is an issue in your relationship with your spouse.
• There is an Order for Protection or a Harassment Restraining Order between you and your spouse.
• There is a power imbalance in your relationship with your spouse.
• You do not have an equal say in your relationship related to decisions about finances and children.
• There is little or no trust between you and your spouse as it relates to finances or children.
• You believe your spouse will not be honest and forthcoming with relevant financial information.
• Either you or your spouse has struggled with mental health or addiction and are unable to effectively co-parent your children due to safety concerns.
• You and your spouse are not on speaking terms or discussions with your spouse about how to settle your divorce are difficult and lead to arguments.

Add Ons:

• Non-marital Property
• Multiple Real Properties
• Dividing more than 1 retirement plan
• Complex mixture of assets that include (stock options, restricted stock units, annuities, executive compensation packages beyond base salary and bonus, trusts, pensions, etc.)

A friendly divorce is a low-conflict approach to divorce that can be utilized when the spouses agree to the terms of the divorce. If there’s no need for mediation or litigation, one spouse can hire a friendly divorce attorney in St. Paul to file the divorce documents with the court. A friendly divorce assumes you have already agreed to the division of your assets, spousal support, a parenting plan, and all other applicable areas of your divorce. 

If you are interested in filing an uncontested divorce in St. Paul, it’s in your best interest to hire a friendly divorce lawyer. She will prepare the documents that incorporate the agreement you have reached and guide you through the court process to finalize your divorce with ease. Even an uncontested friendly divorce is still a legal action, so the paperwork needs to be created in a certain way or it won’t stand up in court. Hiring a friendly divorce attorney will give you a guarantee that your paperwork will be accepted.

As long as your friendly divorce stays friendly and no one goes back on their word, you will not need to go to court. If you and your spouse have already attended mediation and agreed to the terms of your divorce, your friendly divorce can be finalized without you ever having to show up in court. This is one of the biggest benefits of friendly divorce because it saves both spouses time and money.

Your property will be divided however you wish. You and your spouse must come to an agreement about the division of your property prior to working with a friendly divorce lawyer and filing for divorce. If you have not yet agreed upon the division of your marital property, consider working with a professional mediator to reach an understanding. That way, you can still choose a friendly divorce and won’t have to go to court to have your assets divided by a judge.

A traditional divorce in St. Paul can be expensive. According to lawyers.com, the average cost to divorce in Minnesota is $14,200, which includes $11,200 in attorneys’ fees. Friendly divorce is much more affordable for several reasons. First, only one spouse needs to hire an attorney to file the friendly divorce paperwork. That attorney is also able to charge less for their services because the couple needs less legal attention, having already decided how their divorce will go. Finally, the process is much quicker, which means an attorney spends fewer hours on the case.

To file for a friendly divorce in St. Paul, contact the friendly divorce lawyers at Maxim Smith Family Law. Your attorney, who can only represent you or your spouse – not both of you, will learn about the terms you’ve decided on with your spouse and will create legal documents highlighting these terms. This paperwork will include information about division of assets, spousal maintenance payments, child custody, and more. They will file the paperwork with the court, which will approve the paperwork and finalize your divorce. 

Absolutely. Minnesota divorce lawyers are here to help, even if you’re not ready to actually file for divorce. You’ll have to enter into a retainer agreement with an attorney in Minnesota to discuss the specifics of your case, but you’re not legally obligated to file for divorce just because you’ve been discussing the possibility with a lawyer. Many people in Minnesota hire attorneys to conduct pre-divorce planning if they think there is any possibility of divorce in their future. 

It makes no difference. You are afforded the same rights as a straight married couple and are permitted to choose a friendly divorce if you and your spouse agree to all the terms of your divorce. The law in Minnesota provides that Minnesota law must be construed to treat spouses of the same sex in the same manner as spouses of opposite sexes.

Sometimes people are separated from their spouses for years but wait to get divorced until they would like to remarry. These clients wonder how long they must wait before applying for a marriage license. Luckily, there is no waiting period required in Minnesota. Once your divorce has been entered and is finalized, you are free to remarry.

You can find the right attorney by learning about a firm’s philosophy and values, reading reviews, and consulting directly with the attorney. Look for a lawyer who has experience in the area of family law you’re dealing with. For example, if you’re seeking a friendly divorce, you should work with a lawyer who considers this area one they have focused on and in which they have ample experience.