Filing for divorce in New Hampshire doesn’t have to be the end of the world. The process can be made smooth with the help of a New Hampshire divorce lawyer. However, even with legal help, there are a few basic laws and regulations you should know about so you don’t walk into your divorce without a clue as to what’s going on.
First, you should know that New Hampshire has residency requirements in place for divorce filings. Both parties must be domiciled in the state when divorce action is taken and the spouse filing must be a resident of the state for at least one year. If the parties meet this requirement, then the divorce petition must be brought in the county where either party lives before the county’s superior court.
Once the residency requirements are out of the way, you can determine if you even have legal grounds to file for divorce in New Hampshire. If you are filing, you can either do so over fault or no fault reasons. No fault means there are basic irreconcilable differences that caused the breakdown of the marriage. Fault means the divorce is a result of something the other person did. This may include adultery, cruelty, or even impotency if the filing spouse wanted to have children. Your New Hampshire divorce attorney will help you figure which course of action is best.
If you are not sure if you want to end the marriage entirely, you can file for legal separation instead. New Hampshire may decree a legal separation for the couple, which has all the effects of a divorce, except parties are not allowed to remarry.
To learn more about divorce laws in New Hampshire, including child custody, child support, and alimony, seek legal help today.