What is involved in terminating a marriage by dissolution?
There must be a complete agreement on all issues that have arisen by virtue of the marital relationship in a writing called a “Separation Agreement”, and all related but necessary filings are also signed. There is a Petition for Dissolution which both parties must also sign that merely requests that the marriage be dissolved; there is no ground stated nor do the parties state any reason why they want their marriage dissolved. The hearing is set not earlier than 30 days after all the papers are filed in court, but not later than 90 days after this filing. The parties also must be living separate and apart for thirty days before a final hearing (whether dissolution or divorce), and a good rule of thumb is to be prepared to separate (one or the other party moves out) at the time the Separation Agreement is signed, if this physical separation has not already occurred. Both parties to the marriage must be present at the final hearing, and if one party cannot be present (e.g., he/she has mov
