Insights

Ningbo agreement divorce and litigation divorce how to choose

1. the difference between the two paths

the core difference between divorce by agreement and divorce by litigation is whether the parties are willing and agree on their children, property, and debts. Agreed divorce requires both parties to apply to the marriage registration authority, and after a 30-day cooling-off period, they will jointly apply for a divorce certificate; a lawsuit for divorce will be sued by one party to the court, which will be mediated or judged by the court. Can walk the agreement, usually faster, lower cost, less confrontational.

But the freedom of divorce by agreement also means that "everything depends on negotiation". If there is one item that cannot be agreed upon, it can only be transferred to litigation. Therefore, before choosing the path, first honestly evaluate whether the two parties are really consistent in child support, property division, and debt commitment, instead of just looking at "want to leave".

2. Agreed Divorce Appropriate Situations

both parties have no substantial disputes on whether to divorce, child support, property division, and debt commitment, and they can cooperate with the scene. Agreed divorce is the first choice. It retains the space for the parties to arrange independently, and the mediation or divorce certificate also has legal effect. It should be noted that either party can withdraw the application during the cooling-off period, and both parties need to apply jointly after the expiration of the period, which is indispensable.

For couples who have already negotiated a plan, divorce by agreement can also write details such as upbringing, visitation and compensation into a divorce agreement, which has strong binding force and direct execution, thus eliminating the burden of proof in litigation. However, the provisions of the agreement on the division of property are still subject to rules such as "malicious transfer can be revoked" and are absolutely unshakable if they are not signed.

3. Suit for Divorce

if one party does not agree to divorce, or has great differences on support, property and debt, or if one party's whereabouts are unknown or his personal freedom is restricted, he can only sue. In divorce proceedings, the court will examine whether the relationship has broken down. If there are bigamy, domestic violence, gambling and drug abuse, separation for two years, etc., the mediation will be invalid and the divorce will be generally decided. In practice, the party who transfers or conceals the property may claim less or no division in the lawsuit.

Another value of litigation is "third-party investigation": the court can investigate accounts, order disclosure of property, and conduct appraisal audits, which cannot be done by divorce by agreement. When one party is clearly hiding assets, litigation is a more reliable option, even if it takes longer.

4. common mistakes

myth 1: Signing a divorce agreement will automatically divorce. You have to go through the cooling-off period and get a joint license to count.

Myth 2: Litigation must be slower and more expensive. When differences are large, litigation is the only way to force a settlement.

Myth 3: Whoever sues first suffers. The order of prosecution does not normally affect the division of substantive rights.

Misunderstanding 4: I am waiting for the other party to go back on its word during the cooling-off period. It can be transferred to litigation in time to avoid unilateral disposal of property.

5. operational steps

1. Self-check consistency

list children, property, and debt to determine whether all can be agreed.

2. Select the path

all-in-one agreement; any stuck-up lawsuit, and ready evidence of emotional breakdown.

3. Leave the retreat

if the agreement is not negotiated, it will be transferred to litigation in time to avoid unilateral disposal of property during the cooling-off period.

Do three things before 6. choose

1. List the disputed items

list the child support, property division and debt commitment one by one, and mark whether an agreement can be reached. Any stuck case is inclined to litigation.

2. Find out the property base

first organize the real estate, deposits, financial management, provident fund, equity list and retain vouchers to avoid omission in the agreement or concealment by the other party afterwards.

3. Assess the sincerity of the other party

observe whether the other party is willing to fully disclose the property and cooperate with the scene. If the sincerity is insufficient, the agreement will only be delayed.

7. practice tips

the biggest risk of divorce by agreement is not that it will not be negotiated, but that it will be "negotiated but left a pit". The divorce agreement should specify the property ownership, transfer period, liability for breach of contract, alimony payment method and adjustment conditions, so as to avoid the use of vague expressions such as "the property has been divided", which may lead to subsequent non-recourse.

Litigation divorce is to fix the evidence in advance: evidence of emotional breakdown, property clues, the other party's fault or transfer evidence. If the first prosecution is not sentenced to leave, pay attention to the rules of prosecution after one year of separation, and pay attention to retaining the factual evidence of separation during the period.

Key Nodes in 8. Programs

1. Cooling-off period and withdrawal

within 30 days from the date of receipt of the application by the marriage registration authority, either party may withdraw it; within 30 days after the expiration of the period, both parties must jointly apply for a divorce certificate. Failure to receive the divorce certificate within the time limit shall be deemed to be withdrawn and a new application shall be required.

2. First and second indictments

if the first prosecution is not sentenced to divorce, the two parties shall be sentenced to divorce if one party sues again after one year of separation, and the retention of separation evidence during the period is crucial to the second prosecution.

3. Effect of conciliation and judgment

the divorce mediation statement has the same legal effect as the judgment and the divorce certificate, and the property division clause can be applied for enforcement, and the content should be confirmed to be complete and enforceable before signing.

9. Cost-Risk Trade-Off

1. Realistic expectations of time costs

under the condition of complete materials and cooperation between both parties, divorce by agreement usually needs to go through three stages: application, 30-day cooling-off period and joint certification, and the overall cycle is relatively controllable. Litigation divorce may be prolonged to several months or even longer due to factors such as service, appraisal, evaluation and secondary prosecution, especially when the other party loses contact or intentionally delays delivery. Before choosing the path, one should have a clear expectation of one's own time claim: if one is eager to dissolve the marriage and has little difference, the agreement is more appropriate; If complex property and transfer risks are involved, litigation should be taken even if it takes time, so as to find out the facts by means of court investigation and preservation.

2. Economic and emotional costs

the main cost of divorce by agreement lies in negotiation and document drafting, the cost is relatively controllable, and the antagonism between the two parties is weak, and the emotional consumption is less for families with children. Litigation divorce involves litigation costs, attorney's fees, evaluation and appraisal costs, and the evidence and trial process will amplify the conflict, the parties and children are consumed. But this does not mean that litigation is necessarily worse: when a party conceals property, refuses to disclose or there is domestic violence, the litigation provides mandatory disclosure, personal safety protection orders and property preservation and other tools, is the agreement path can not be replaced, at this time the cost of investment can often be exchanged for more thorough rights and interests protection.

Practical Experience of 10. Lawyers

the watershed between divorce by agreement and divorce by litigation does not lie in which road is faster, but in whether the two parties really want to divorce voluntarily, and they can agree on the three aspects of child support, property division and debt bearing. Agreed divorce requires both parties to be present together, and apply for a divorce certificate after a 30-day cooling-off period. The cost is low and the confrontation is small, but the degree of freedom also means that everything depends on discussion. As long as one of these three pieces cannot be negotiated properly, the initiative will not be in your hands and you can only turn to litigation. Therefore, before choosing, honestly evaluate the actual situation of these three blocks, instead of just looking at whether you want to leave or not.

There are three things worth doing before choosing. The first thing is to list clearly the differences between the two sides and see whether they are principled or can be compromised. Don't judge them by talking or not. The second thing is to find out the family's property and debt base, and don't come to the table to negotiate terms without knowing anything about the family. The third thing is to fix the key evidence in case you don't have a card when you break into the lawsuit. After these three things are done, the choice of agreement or litigation will no longer be based on feelings, but a well-founded decision, and there will be more confidence in the future.

It is also necessary to anticipate the risks on the way to an agreed divorce. The cooling-off period gives the other party room to go back on its word and temporarily increase the price. Once the other party puts forward new conditions at the door, all the previous negotiations may return to zero and the initiative will be returned. In contrast, once the mediation in the litigation is reached, the mediation statement issued by the court is enforceable, and if the other party does not cooperate afterwards, it can directly apply for execution. Therefore, if the other party is of the type that wants to be salvaged, conditional, or simply procrastinated, it may be better to evaluate the early prosecution and use the pace of litigation to bring the other party back to the negotiating table, which is not necessarily slower than repeatedly signing agreements.