Follow up forum shopping- TX, CO or NJ?

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-03-2004
Follow up forum shopping- TX, CO or NJ?
3
Sun, 06-24-2007 - 1:38pm

Looking for insights/advice from BTDT moms/dads. Our family is overseas (for my job), H just took a great job in TX, my drivers license/family is in NJ (and we'll go there in Dec) and my official "home leave" address/voting registration is in CO.

We will almost certainly divorce and H is amenable to that. I checked out Cornell Law's family law overviews and it seems like in TX it takes 3 yrs?!@ to finalize the divorce and one other message board person knew someone whose no-fault dragged on forEVEr. We have no property but 4 kids but am pretty certain we can come to agreement on a visitation schedule without attorneys.

So, for those of you BTDT in those states...

How "easy" was it to start/finalize the process and how long did it take?

Did you do it yourself (I'll most likely be going pro se)?

How favorable were they on child support/spousal support (and did anyone w/ custody have to pay their X spousal support)? (I earn more than him.)

What kinds of residency/domicile requirements does the state have?

Did anyone file with a spouse living out of state?

Thanks very much. I'm most interested in speed/ease rather than support $'s.
Karen

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-19-2006
Mon, 06-25-2007 - 7:02pm
I know in NJ the longest no fault is 18 months of separation but there are other reasons (I think if you both agree to irrec. differences) it can be 6 months. You can also choose mediation rather than lawyers. But I beleive the state requires (except in the case of adultery) that one spouse (the one filing) be a resident of the state for 1 year prior to filing. I think you have to have a legal residence in the state but you must have some address in NJ if you have a driver's license.
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-03-2004
Tue, 06-26-2007 - 4:20pm

Thanks, yayafan. NJ would be easiest for lots of reasons - have an address I can use, drivers license already, easier to get to when traveling, going anyway for Christmas. I think he'll agree to irreconciliable differences. Once I start the process I don't want it to drag on and on.

Thanks so much. Karen

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-31-2003
Wed, 06-27-2007 - 10:18am

I live in NJ and my divorce was finalized in April. It was just over a year - start to finish. We did the no fault - which has been changed in NJ to I think 6 months. I had a lawyer - he did not. XH and I sat down and came up w/ $$ and custody plans on our own. I gave them to my lawyer and he drafted a property settlement agreement. Then it was filed in the courts after the appropriate abount of time and on 4/3/07 my lawyer and I went to court to appear in front of a judge and after 10 minutes I was handed my divorce decree. It does help a lot when you and XH can agree on a lot of the money and kid issues on your own. I think that is what holds up most of the divorces.

Denise