Deciding to file for a divorce could be one of the most difficult decisions that you will have to make. If you have children, it is likely that you will be considering how the divorce will affect them and analyzing whether you can make the marriage work for the sake of your kids. At the end of the day, children benefit from having happy parents, regardless of whether their parents remain married or not.
In the state of Oregon, the process of divorce is more formally referred to as a “dissolution of marriage.” While Oregon divorce and dissolution are very similar and lead to the same end result, a dissolution is simpler because a court appearance does not need to be made. However, separating couples can only have a dissolution of marriage if they have been married less than 10 years and if they have no children.
If you do have children, you must instead go through the process of a legal separation. This allows you to go to court and address important issues such as child custody and child support so that your children will have a structured support system in place in the future.
Can I get a better divorce outcome in Oregon if I blame my spouse?
The state of Oregon is a no fault divorce state. This means that neither spouse can be blamed for the break up of the marriage, and therefore the marriage is neutrally dissolved.
If you are considering separating with your spouse in the state of Oregon, it is important that you take early action in order to ensure that you know how the process works. This is especially true if your anticipate issues with your child custody proceedings.