In Huntington, there may options other than a full divorce for couples seeking to bring legal oversight to aspects of their relationship.

The entry into marriage, for so many couples, is the next logical step in a committed relationship. Marriage is seen to be the legal manifestation and documentation of aspects of the relationship - cohabitation, coexistence, commitment - that already exist. For this reason, little change is expected after marriage. Too often, though, once-happy couples come to find, over time, that marriage includes much more. Purchasing a home, raising children, managing finances, responsibilities within the extended family, etc all become parts of the marriage. This can threaten the relationships even of couples who entered marriage with a very strong bond. Such factors, which can be so complicated and complex, easily overtake the innocent, initial aspects of the relationship that predated the marriage.

The following situation happens more than we like to think: overwhelmed by complications and responsibilities that have appeared since the marriage vows, a couple finds the commitments made in the marriage vows obscured. They find themselves simply unable to overcome these factors, though not for lack of trying. It is possible in West Virginia for such a situation to exist, while still falling short of the legal grounds for divorce. The couple is in a double-bind in which divorce is simply not the best option, but the current marriage situation has become unworkable.

“Limited divorce,” aka legal separation, is an option, and best pursued under the guidance of an experienced Huntington divorce attorney who can facilitate such an arrangement. The original marriage remains in tact and legal, while a court makes arrangements and stipulations on most aspects of the marriage, including:

1) debts

2) property

3) custody, support and care of children

4) spousal support/alimony

Most often, one or more of these factors lie at the heart of the conflict and difficulty straining the marriage. Legal intervention in a way other than divorce - oversight of some aspects of the commitments and responsibilities of the couple - may be just what is needed to bring relief to the situation.

To initiate this process, or just to find out more information, be sure to contact an experienced Huntington divorce attorney for consultation.

Tags: family lawyer, Huntington attorney, marriage lawyer, West Virginia divorce

This entry was posted on Monday, November 17th, 2008 at 1:17 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.