Filing Divorce in Hawaii
A divorce is a court order terminating a marriage. A simple statement, but it has life-changing effects for the divorcing spouses and their children. Whether you are contemplating a divorce or your spouse is seeking a divorce, you cannot afford to wait to get legal advice. The Hawaii divorce attorneys at The Law Practice of Jackie Kong have more than a decade of experience in divorce law, and we can help you.
Steps in the divorce process
The first step in a divorce proceeding is the filing of a complaint for divorce. The petition is filed in the county where you live. A copy of the petition is served upon the spouse from who the divorce is sought.
When you have filed a divorce complaint, or if you have been served with one, you have several decisions that you need to make immediately. First and foremost, there is the issue of custody of the children. Who will have physical and legal custody of the children? Coupled with the issue of custody is the question of support for the children — who will contribute what to their support? If it's joint custody, that is, shared between the divorcing couple, what is the plan for when each parent has custody?
As you can see, there are a myriad of issues that must be addressed immediately. An order of temporary custody can be entered, along with directions as to how support payments are to be made. If the divorcing couple can negotiate these important questions without court intervention, they will save time, expense, and quite possibly the hostility that can accompany a divorce. If the parties cannot cooperate to reach an agreement on issues of custody, support, and division of assets, a court will decide them.
