Can you divorce without splitting assets?


Sharing is Caring


There are no rigid rules regarding how assets are divided in a divorce and the law has to be flexible to apply to each case. The Court has wide discretion. There will not necessarily be a 50/50 split of the assets in every case and an equal division of assets may be appropriate in some cases but not in others.

Are divorce records public in MA?

In Massachusetts almost all divorce records, also referred to as divorce case files or decrees, are considered public records and open for public inspection.

Is there a public list of divorces?

Fortunately, there are ways in which you can access this information, as much like births, deaths and, yes, marriages; divorces are a matter of public record.

How do I find a divorce date in Massachusetts?

Researchers may contact the Registry of Vital Records at (617) 740-2600, or through the Registry of Vital Records and Statistics online. Please note that the Registry of Vital Records and Statistics does not hold divorce records. They can only provide you with the court that granted the divorce and the docket number.

How do you find out if you are divorced?

  1. Most courthouses have a public records computer terminal. You can search by your name or the name of your spouse. Check them carefully and get the right file.
  2. Ask the court clerk’s office for help. The counter clerk can look records up for you and confirm whether a divorce has been filed.

How do I find court records in Massachusetts online?

  1. Go to www.masscourts.org and click the button that says “Click here to search public records.” You’ll then select the court department and court division you’re searching in.
  2. After you complete these fields, search tabs for name, case type, case number, and ticket/citation # will appear.

How do I find out if someone is married in Massachusetts?

  1. Find a service or task. Ordering a Birth, Marriage, or Death Certificate.
  2. Registry of Vital Records and Statistics. Address. Phone. Main (617) 740-2600. Online. Amendments [email protected].

Are divorce settlements made public?

The only information that it contains is that you were once married, that the courts gave you permission for a divorce and that the divorce has been made absolute โ€“ final, without any condition or incumbrance. Only if you went to court to defend a petition would details of the divorce be available to the public.

Is a divorce petition a public document?

The simple answer is that only one document in your divorce files is available to the public: the Decree Absolute. The rest of the documents remain confidential between the parties, their representatives and the Court.

Are decree absolute public record?

The simple answer is yes. Anyone will be able to obtain a copy of the decree absolute, as with birth, adoption, marriage, civil partnership and death certificates.

How do I get a copy of my divorce agreement in Massachusetts?

Complete the Request for Copies form and mail or bring the form and payment to the courthouse you’re requesting a copy of the court record from. Note: If you’re looking for a historic record, please see Accessing Court Archives.

Are marriage records public in mass?

Marriage records in Massachusetts are generally open to the public. However, access to marriage records of parties born to unwed parents is usually restricted to the registrant’s parents or spouse.

Can I get my divorce decree online?

There seem to be many false rumours spread on the internet that lead people to believe that divorce records can be downloaded from the Department of Home Affairs. But this is unfortunately not possible. Divorce decrees must be obtained from the court where the divorce was finalised, which can be a tedious process.

Can my husband divorced me without me knowing?

On the face of it this may sound like an unusual question, but in fact in some cases, yes it is possible for you to be divorced without your knowledge. The reason for this is because a divorce petition does not always require the other party to respond in order for the divorce to be granted by the Court.

How do I know if my spouse has been served divorce papers?

Your spouse is supposed to mail a copy to you. You can also check with the Family Court Central Intake Center after the 21 days are up to see whether your spouse has filed an Answer. You can check in person or you can call (202-879-1212). You can also go to the Family Court Self-Help Center and ask them to check.

How do I find marriage records for free?

FamilySearch is a free website with indexes and some images to many Family History Library vital records collections. GenWed is a free genealogical research database for marriage records and a directory to other marriage records online for the United States.

How do I find someone’s court records?

There are three ways to look at court records: Go to the courthouse and ask to look at paper records. Go to the courthouse and look at electronic court records. If your court offers it, look at electronic records over the internet.

Are court transcripts public record?

Generally speaking Statements of Case and Judgments and Orders that are a made ‘in public’ are public documents and are available from court record.

How do I find out the results of a court hearing?

Call the court where your hearing was held. Depending on the court, you might be able to call the court clerk and ask about the hearing result. Depending on the court’s procedure, the clerk may be able to give you the results of your hearing over the phone.

How do I find marriage records?

You will need to contact the County Recorder’s Office in the county where the marriage license was issued.

Are US marriage records public?

Although marriage records are available to most public members, the court or office may limit information to the couple’s names, place, date of marriage, types of document available in the record, and reference number for the file.

Is marriage certificate a public document?

The books making up the civil register and all documents relating thereto shall be considered public documents and shall be prima facie evidence of the facts therein contained. As public documents, they are admissible in evidence even without further proof of their due execution and genuineness.

Is my wife entitled to half my savings?

If you are married in community of property, all retirement funds will form part of the joint estate and, in the event of divorce, each spouse will be entitled to a 50% share of the joint estate.

When you get divorced Who gets the money?

If the alimony is being paid on a monthly basis, the Supreme Court of India has set 25% of the husband’s net monthly salary as the benchmark amount that should be granted to the wife. There is no such benchmark for one-time settlement, but usually, the amount ranges between 1/5th to 1/3rd of the husband’s net worth.

Do you have to pay for a divorce after 5 years?

Thus, it does not become free when you have been separated after so many years. Since the introduction of no-fault divorces in April 2022, you won’t need to use separation for five years as a reason to get the divorce approved. You could get a free divorce regardless, but this will depend on your circumstances.

Craving More Content?

Maine Divorce Law Blog