How long does this take?

The average divorce is six to nine months, assuming that both sides want to reach a prompt resolution. It takes longer, obviously, if one side or the other is trying to string things out. The minimum is about 75 days.

How much will it cost?

The cost of divorce is driven by four things: size of assets, disagreements between spouses, lawyer’s skill and preparation, and time spent with your attorney.

During our initial consultation with you, we can discuss how much the divorce is likely to cost, based largely upon what you tell us about your case.

You can read more about fees and costs in our Ultimate Guide to Fees.

Where do I start?

Once you’ve retained our firm, we will work with you to prepare your case for the courtroom. This means learning your story, reviewing your evidence, interviewing your witnesses, and studying your documents. Preparation wins cases and investing in expert attorneys like our team will save you more in the long-run.

You can read more about how this works in our Ultimate Guide to the Process of Divorce.

What happens to our house?

Courts often award the house to the parent who will primarily have the children, but only if there is enough income between the parents to make this an affordable option. If it is not, or if there are no children, the court will let either spouse “buy out” the other, or else order the house to be sold and the sale proceeds awarded as part of the overall distribution of assets.

You can read more about how assets are divided in our Ultimate Guide to Division of Assets.

Can I get alimony?

Answer these two questions. First, can your spouse afford to pay alimony? If your family is barely making ends meet as it is, then there likely isn’t enough income available from which to award alimony, no matter how much you might need it.

Second, can you meet your lifestyle expenses without alimony (taking into account your assets and income)? The less that you need alimony, the less likely that you will be awarded alimony.

In Mississippi, there is no precise rule for how long you have to be married to obtain alimony. The longer your marriage, the better your chances. You can read more about how alimony is awarded in our Ultimate Guide to Alimony.

Will the children be ok?

In a word, yes. You already know how to care for your kids; divorce won’t change that. If your spouse is also a quality parent, the law will let the two of you continue to do what’s best for the children.

If your spouse is a cold, difficult, or hostile parent, we can explain the problem to the Chancellor and what steps need to be taken to protect your kids. You can read more about how the law protects children in our Ultimate Guide to Custody.

What about my business?

Divorce courts typically award full ownership of a business to the spouse who owns the business, even if the other spouse helped with its formation or operation. You can read more about businesses in divorce in our Ultimate Guide to Division of Assets.