Stipulations in Divorce in Minnesota
Minnesota Divorce Lawyer
A frequently overlooked but very useful tool which can be used in a divorce action is the stipulation. Although asked for in the pre-trial statement, many are in a rush to get prepared for trial so the stipulations requested are usually "none." A Minnesota divorce attorney at our firm will explain the use and value of stipulations to you and assist you with the preparation. The use of stipulations saves your legal counsel time and saves you attorney's fees.
Divorce Attorney in Minnesota: Divorce Stipulations
A stipulation is simply a written statement which consists of facts that are agreed upon by both parties and submitted to the judge before trial begins. They can reduce costs and time as they may be used as evidence in the case instead of witness testimony. Stipulations quickly provide the judge with such important facts as the names of the parties involved, their ages, the duration of the marriage and the names and birth dates of children. Additional facts can be included if both parties agree such as:
- Jobs
- Income
- Assets
- Liabilities
- Health status of both parties
If your spouse will not sign your stipulations, you can submit them to the judge as a "Statement of Facts". Even if you include facts the other party disputes, the other party will usually specify what he or she will or will not agree to which helps your family law lawyer to quickly pinpoint the areas of disagreement and informs the judge as to the issues.
Your divorce should be handled by a divorce lawyer that will carefully protect your rights and interests through every possible legal process. Ensuring that the judge has the important facts immediately at hand can facilitate a smooth proceeding. In some cases a Statement of Facts has helped to settle a case. Stipulations will be provided with the petition for divorce or can be submitted to a judge prior to the divorce hearing for his or her review. You can do all of this through your divorce lawyer at Heimerl & Lammers.
If you wish to file for divorce and there are stipulations you want to make a part of your divorce proceedings, contact a Minnesota divorce attorney at the firm who can help you with this.