At Verhaeghe Law Office our Alberta divorce lawyers have worked on numerous joint divorces since the firm’s inception. If you and your significant other are looking to end your marriage and believe you can come to amicable terms on your own – we recommend you contact our law firm to help process your joint divorce application. Contact our law firm today and speak directly with a member of our family law legal team for more information. In the meanwhile, here is a general overview of what constitutes a joint divorce.

What Is A Joint Divorce?

A joint divorce is referred to as a divorce that ends amicably where both parties agree on most matters pertaining to their divorce with minimal or no conflict. In a joint divorce – couples co-operate with each other to come to amicable solutions regarding their divorce and both parties complete and execute all the legal paperwork together.

How Does A Joint Divorce Work?

As amicable as your future divorce may be – it’s always wise to have a lawyer assist you with the legalities surrounding a joint divorce. Most often, joint divorces have minimal conflict between parties. Therefore, one of the benefits of a joint divorce would be the fact that these types of divorces typically cost far less than what divorces would when both parties are riddled with conflict on the matter.

In order to qualify for a joint divorce in Alberta one of the parties must be a resident of Alberta for at least one year before filing the Joint Statement of Claim for Divorce. Additionally, there may be a requirement where both parties need to have lived separate for at least a year prior to the divorce judgement (although if financial circumstances dictate that both parties need to live together prior to the divorce order being issued – you may be able to have this requirement challenged).

In certain circumstances where cruelty or infidelity is the grounds for divorce – the parties may need to use an alternative route where they file for an uncontested divorce as opposed to a joint divorce.

What Does A Divorce Lawyer in Alberta Need For A Joint Divorce?

You will need to provide your lawyer with a copy of the original marriage certificate if the marriage occurred in Canada. If the marriage occurred outside of the country, you will be expected to provide details and proof of marriage outside the country.

We recommend you also consult on the following topics with your significant other regarding your joint divorce:

• Parenting plan: If children are in the picture – make sure you have come to agreement on child custody arrangements including joint custody options, visitation schedules, financial obligations for the children, education costs, medical and dental expenses, expenses for extra curricular activities, childcare, etc.
• Spousal support: If spousal support is required, try and come to a consensus on how this will all play out and whether or not one party will be required to give financial assistance to the other party for a fixed period of time.
• Property division: Discuss how the property should be distributed including personal property, assets, pension, bank accounts including savings, debts, pension and other financial investments. Pets are also considered property so make sure you discuss who gets the pets. You may want to seek legal advice on this topic as well prior to having discussion with your significant other.

Contact our Edmonton divorce lawyers today

If you require the assistance of an Edmonton divorce lawyer contact Verhaeghe Law Office today. Our legal team is on stand-by and we are ready to help you navigate the legal complexities of your divorce. While we have offices in Athabasca, Whitecourt and Edmonton – we can represent clients in the surrounding vicinity.

Call 587-410-2500 today to book your consultation now.

Disclaimer: Please note the advice contained in this article does not constitute legal advice and is only intended to act as a general overview on the topic at hand. Each legal situation is unique and we recommend you speak with a divorce lawyer from Alberta if you have a question pertaining to joint divorces in Alberta or require legal assistance.