Divorce and Separation Agreements (Washington DC)

Carolyn Goodman is a family lawyer who focuses on negotiated settlements in an attempt to resolve the issues that arise when the marital relationship breaks down. Ending a marriage is traumatic. Each case is unique and requires an attorney who can provide a creative and skilled approach to the law. The process can be very overwhelming. It is vital that when going through this process you are represented by an attorney who has the necessary experience in all areas of family law, including actions for divorce, child custody and support, division of marital property, negotiation and preparation of separation and property settlement agreements and issues involving visitation, to provide skilled, caring and innovative solutions to the issues involved in your situation. Carolyn Goodman is an attorney who provides the supportive, creative, and vigorous representation that is needed through her experience as a divorce and family lawyer in Washington DC. She gives her clients the personal attention they deserve and should expect from a lawyer.

Divorce

A divorce is a way to legally terminate the marriage relationship. This can be accomplished through an uncontested divorce or a contested divorce. In an uncontested divorce, either there are no issues to be resolved or all issues have been resolved between the parties through a Separation and Property Settlement Agreement. In a contested divorce, issues such as custody, child support, visitation, division of marital property, retirement, etc. have not been resolved and the husband and wife must seek the court’s help to decide these issues.

You may file for a divorce in Washington, DC if either you or your spouse has been a resident of Washington, DC for six months before the date you file the divorce papers with the court and you or your spouse consider DC to be your permanent place of residence. Only one of you must meet this residency requirement. There are two grounds for divorce in Washington, DC

1. Separation without cohabitation for at least six months, if the separation is mutual and voluntary (that is, if you and your spouse agree to separate).

2. Separation without cohabitation for at least one year. This ground is used if one of you does not agree to the separation and divorce.

As part of a divorce, the property of a marriage must be divided. Because the division of property is never predictable, it is best to have an attorney attempt to negotiate and settle the property distribution with your spouse’s lawyer. This gives you more control over the outcome of your divorce.

Separation Agreements

A Separation and Property Settlement Agreement allows a client to maintain personal control over the outcome of his or her situation. It is a detailed contract which contains an agreement based on the rights and obligations of both the husband and the wife with respect to all issues related to the marital relationship. This may include custody of the children, child support, visitation, division of the marital property, health insurance, debts, retirement, and any other issues that have arisen as a result of the marriage. Through such an agreement, clients meet their objectives in a manner that takes less of an emotional toll on themselves and their families than seeking the court’s help through a divorce case. In addition, out of court settlements are far less expensive than seeking the court’s assistance to resolve the issues.

In her role as a family lawyer, Carolyn Goodman combines compassionate, thoughtful, and personalized service with vigorous representation on behalf of her clients. If an out of court settlement cannot be achieved satisfactorily, all clients receive strong advocacy in the court system by an experienced family law and divorce lawyer.

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