Ending your military marriage is rarely an easy process, even when you and your spouse want to make it as streamlined and simple as possible. The structure of life within the military and the insular nature of the community often cause complications that many civilian divorces do not face, stretching out the divorce process and increasing its impact.
If you and your spouse need to end your marriage, you may think that uncontested divorce is a good solution in your circumstances, especially if you do not have many significant assets between you or the marriage is relatively young. In some cases, uncontested divorce is a good solution, but it comes at the cost of some important safeguards that you may not want to give up.
If is wise to consider all aspects of your divorce carefully before you choose to move forward. This ensures that you have a strong plan to protect your own rights and priorities as you work through the divorce process.
Advantages of uncontested divorce
Filing uncontested allows a couple to streamline the divorce process, often resolving the bulk of the divorce in a matter of days, although the divorce itself may not finalize for several weeks or months yet.
The law provides the framework for uncontested divorce primarily to allow those who realize quickly that they do not wish to remain married to end it with relative ease. If, for instance, you got married during a wild weekend in Vegas on a whim (with apologies to Britney Spears), then uncontested divorce or even possibly an annulment could help you end the marriage before matters get out of hand.
Uncontested divorce makes sense for couples with few or no assets, no children, and no real claim to each other’s property or other obligations. For those who wish to keep their divorce simple, but have property to divide, children to consider, or other complications, uncontested divorce may not provide the full range of protections that each spouse deserves
Streamlining traditional divorce
Even if uncontested divorce is not a good fit for you, you may find that it is possible to work amicably with your spouse to end your marriage and move on in a healthy, or at least expedient, manner. If you choose to work with attorneys, it is wise for you to communicate clearly with your representation that you want to keep the matter simple and dignified.
Be sure to properly prepare for the process and understand what your priorities are in the divorce before you head to the negotiation table, and understand that divorce requires both parties to compromise if you want to keep things as quick and painless as possible.
With careful consideration, it is possible to use traditional or uncontested divorce to end your marriage and set both spouses on a course to a good life on the other side of marriage, where you may continue to serve our country and protect those who depend on your sacrifice for their freedoms.
