Divorce Procedure In Pittsburgh and Allegheny County

You have finally made the decision to end your marriage—but now what? It is not as simple as just filing for divorce and then being no longer married. A divorce has many components to it, and you will need to make your way through each of them before you are officially a single individual. Below, we discuss the grounds for filing for divorce, equitable distribution, and alimony.

Filing for Divorce in Pennsylvania

Before you file your divorce complaint, you need to decide what your grounds for divorce are: fault or no-fault. In a fault divorce, you are accusing your soon-to-be former spouse of being the primary reason for the dissolution of your marriage.

Although this may be the case, filing a fault divorce can be very expensive and take quite a bit longer than if you pursue a no-fault divorce. In a no-fault divorce, neither party is being blamed for the demise of your marriage; your marriage has simply broken down, and you wish to live your lives separately from now on.

Division of Your Marital Property and Assets

Once you have filed for divorce in Pennsylvania, you need to work out the division of your property and assets. In PA, this is known as equitable distribution. You will need to work with your former spouse to divide your marital property, including who will end up with your home, vehicles, furniture, money, and other assets. If you share children, you’ll also have to think through custody and visitation issues together. Keep in mind that the longer it takes you to do all this, the longer your divorce will take to be finalized.

Determination of Alimony

After the equitable distribution process has been finalized, it is time to discuss alimony. Now this may not even be an issue in your case, but if one spouse requires financial support, you may need to discuss whether or not one spouse is going to provide alimony to the other; how much, if any; and for how long. The hope is that you can come to an arrangement together, because otherwise the courts will decide for you.

Finalize Your Divorce as Soon as Possible

Once each of these points have been resolved, your divorce will officially be finalized. In PA, depending on how quickly you work through your disputes, the divorce can be granted as early as four months from the date you file.

If you need assistance filing for divorce or would like to further discuss your case with an experienced Pennsylvania divorce lawyer, consult with Taybron Law Firm, LLC today. You can call our office at (412) 231-9786 or complete the online contact form below to schedule your initial appointment.