Unfortunately, some relationships do not work out for a variety of reasons. In some cases where counseling fails or a couple cannot continue their relationship, they may choose divorce.

Divorce can be a tricky process, but there are some general principles you should know. First, get a lawyer.

There is no law that says you have to have a lawyer to get divorced, but when it comes down to it, having one makes the whole process flow smoothly. They are able to answer whatever questions you may have relating to debt, alimony, and child support and they have a keen sense of what specific details you would need to include in a settlement agreement if you and your spouse go that route.

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A settlement agreement is an agreement you sign voluntarily. These are negotiated voluntarily as well. Settlement agreements offer a broad range of options for both parties to pursue and they are only limited slightly, i.e. someone must support the children and the children must not be subjected to danger or neglect. Your lawyer can guide you based on her experience in court to what you will “probably” get if you go to trial. This guidance is made more accurate by your lawyer’s history with the judge and his years of experience.

Not many guidelines govern divorce. The judge uses his own discretion and each case is unique. Every divorce deals with five basic issues. These are alimony, property division, custody of the children, visitation, and child support. Obviously, if you do not have any kids, divorce is a lot simpler and deals mainly with asset/debt distribution. When it comes to property, the province needs to know who will be holding the deed to maintain the property’s transferability.

The concept of alimony also refered to as Spousal Support has changed lately. The classic view of alimony is the man paying alimony payments to his estranged spouse. Alimony used to be considered the norm, but recently there has been a push towards having both parties support themselves. Technically, the court has the right to order a wife to pay her husband alimony, but this rarely happens. Nowadays, alimony, if awarded, is awarded for shorter periods and for smaller amounts. Alimony payment amounts tend to be the hardest to agree upon during divorce settlement negotiations.

As for assets and debts, they are disseminated between the parties during the divorce process. Assets, or marital property, are tangible property like cars, jewelry and real estate and intangible property such as pensions, patent rights, or retirement accounts. The laws vary on this subject depending on where you live. Your divorce lawyer will help you with this.

The single most important step in a divorce is getting a lawyer. Divorce is extremely difficult to go through emotionally and you might not be thinking clearly. Additionally, lawyers know all the ins and outs that you do not know. Finding an attorney you trust and that works with you will help ease the mind and make the divorce process as painless as possible.

Click here to find a top Family Lawyer in Brampton or a Divorce Lawyer in Brampton.

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Corri Fetman has brought a new degree of infamy to divorce law, and to her firm. A series of billboard promoting the firm Fetman, Garland & Associates Ltd., including one featuring Corri Fetman personally, have made quiet the splash in Chicago since they went up in April of 2007. The boards featured the tagline, “Life’s Short. Get a divorce.” Accompanied by risqué photos, the ads caused quite a stir, upsetting feminists, fellow lawyers, and community members.

John Ducanto, former president of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, called the signs “grotesque,” and “undignified and offensive.” Ducanto was so outraged by the ads that he asked the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Committee of the Supreme Court of Illinois to sanction Fetman. The billboards were taken down thanks to action by 42nd Ward Alderman Burton Natarus, because Fetman had failed to apply for the appropriate permits.

Fetman, however, sees no problem with the signs, which initially went up in April of 2007. Indeed, a second batch, now featuring the tagline “Take Control. Get a Divorce,” are now displayed throughout Chicago. However, not only has Fetman put up these ads: She stars in them! Fetman is the woman in these ads, and the man accompanying her is her “personal trainer.” (No, Really).

Fetman has also, as of January 2008, appeared in Playboy Magazine, and begun writing a column titled the “Lawyer of Love” for the infamous men’s magazine. Fetman’s work with Playboy has drawn a good deal of criticism, but she stands by her decision, stating that she “shouldn’t be punished for having brains and a body.”

“It was the best time I ever had with my clothes on or off. This was a once-in-a- lifetime opportunity to pose for the premiere men’s magazine in the world,” Fetman says of the photo shoot for Playboy. The ads, which created quite a bit of stir initially, have caused significantly more attention for her firm. And while the first set drew the ire of the community, the second set, now with correct permits, have been able to stay up.

While Fetman may have caused quiet a stir, it remains that divorce in the United States has been declining since 1970. The divorce rate is still between 40 and 45 per cent in the US, (while only 37% of Canadian couples are likely to divorce, as of 2004) and Fetman’s firm is just another trying to capitalize on this particular phenomenon. While her ads and antics may make her colleagues wince, Fetman may take as much pleasure as she’d like in flaunting her body to advertise her completely-unrelated legal skills.

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