Long-distance divorces can be just as hard as long-distance relationships. Even simple tasks such as having your spouse served with divorce papers can become more complex when you are forced to complete these tasks while living in a completely different city or state. Thankfully, the services of a divorce lawyer can help to make this task quite a bit easier and ultimately ensure that you are able to finalize your divorce, despite the physical distance between you and your spouse. Continue reading to learn more about some of the ways in which a divorce lawyer can prove helpful when seeking a long-distance divorce.

Establishing Legal Jurisdiction Your Case

One of the things that make long-distance divorce cases so complicated is before a divorce petition can even be heard by the court, you will first need to establish jurisdiction in your case. The reason that this is so complicated is that in order for a judge to preside over your divorce case, they will need to have jurisdiction over both parties to the case. While the judge will automatically have jurisdiction over the spouse that resides in that county, the other spouse will need to voluntarily agree to waiving jurisdiction. This typically means that you will be forced to file for a divorce in the county where your spouse lives and then agree to grant the court personal jurisdiction over you for the purpose of this case. This entire process can be a bit complex. Thankfully, your divorce lawyer will be able to handle everything so that your divorce petition can be filed quickly and without incident. 

Negotiating A Divorce Settlement

Whether you and your spouse live next door to one another or on opposite sides of the country, it will always be in your best interest to agree upon the terms of your divorce settlement rather than forcing the judge to rule on the terms of this settlement. The problem is, it can be much harder to mediate and negotiate a divorce settlement when you and your spouse live in different cities. Thankfully, with the help of a divorce lawyer, you can still take part in mediation services which are designed to help you and your spouse come to an agreement regarding how your assets and debts will be divided.

Traveling Back And Forth For Court

The need to travel back and forth in order to appear in court can be time-consuming and expensive. This is why you should consider hiring a divorce lawyer in the city where you will be filing for divorce. This lawyer will be able to spare you the time and expense associated with traveling for court appearances since they will be able to appear on your behalf. 

Contact a local divorce lawyer to learn more.