Guiding Families Through Complex Divorces

The skilled attorneys at Bowden Cyr, PLLC, assist clients in all aspects of divorce with the goal of helping families move forward with their relationships and finances soundly intact. While our focus is on avoiding unnecessary conflict, we also handle litigation, ensuring that we are able to offer the most appropriate representation for any divorce situation.

Ending A Marriage In Minnesota

In Minnesota, the legal term for divorce is “Dissolution of Marriage.” To start the process, one of the spouses must have lived in Minnesota for at least 180 days this is referred to as the state residency requirement. The residency requirement must be met before taking further steps in the divorce process, for if a court discovers it does not have jurisdiction over a case, the case will not be accepted or it will eventually be dismissed.

Call 612-254-6409 to schedule a free initial consultation, and to discuss your divorce with one of our attorneys.

When you are facing divorce, it is important to be familiar with the legal documents necessary to dissolve a marriage such as:

• Summons and Petition — In Minnesota, one spouse must commence the divorce process by writing a summons and petition and serving it on the other spouse.
• Answer — The spouse who receives the summons and petition must read the documents and decide how to respond. If there is disagreement over the issues, he or she must write and serve an answer.
• Stipulated Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law, Order for Judgment and Judgment and Decree — If the divorcing spouses reach an agreement before or after an answer is filed, this document must be prepared incorporating the parties’ agreement.
• Motions and court orders — A motion is a request of the judge in your case to issue a court order on child custody, child support, spousal maintenance or another matter in your case.
• Final divorce decree — The official name of your divorce document is Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law, Order for Judgment and Judgment and Decree. Once this document is signed by a judge and entered by court administration, your divorce is considered final.

Helping Clients Navigate Important Decisions

If you have minor children or marital property (including real estate, automobiles, vacation property, pensions or other items of value), your divorce becomes more complex than one without children or assets. However, when divorcing couples agree on child custody, child support and how property will be divided, the case can be completed sooner with less cost.

In most cases, a judge will order the parties to try mediation or other form of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) to reach an agreement in family law matters. When divorcing parents do not agree on custody or parenting time (visitation), Minnesota law requires them to attend a certified divorce education program.

At Bowden Cyr, PLLC, we understand that the divorce process can be overwhelming, but experienced and supportive legal counsel can greatly ease your stress. Our goal is not to escalate conflict. In fact, many cases we handle start out with disputes, but then peaceably settle when the parties are able to reach an agreement.

Seek Advice And Representation From A Compassionate Divorce Lawyer

If you are facing divorce, we can provide the strong, compassionate legal support you and your family need during this difficult time. Please call 612-254-6409 for a free initial consultation to learn more about our services and approach to family law. You can also contact our firm online to schedule your evaluation at our Woodbury office.