Online Divorce in Virginia

Online divorce is becoming an extremely popular way in Virginia and throughout the United States for couples to end their marriage. There are many companies that have sprouted up online that provide you with the divorce papers you may need. Some of these websites will prepare the paperwork for you, while others have either lawyers or paralegals to review your completed paperwork. Still, others have the do-it-yourself format where you will fill in all the forms yourself.

Regardless of which company you choose to handle your online divorce, all the paperwork must be filled out correctly and adhere to your state’s individual divorce laws.

Is it Possible to File for a Divorce Online in Virginia?

There are states that do allow you to file an online divorce and Virginia is one of them, however, there are specific requirements, so it’s vital that you check your state’s court website or call them to determine whether or not your state allows e-filing for your divorce. Keep in mind there are always filing fees involved with state courts.

In Virginia, if you don’t have any children, or your children have already reached adulthood, and you have a signed agreement, you can file for your divorce after you’ve been separated for a period of six months. Otherwise, you must be separated from your spouse for a period of one (1) year before you can file for divorce, including online divorces.

If you are going to be filing for a ‘fault’ based grounds for divorce in Virginia, for such things as adultery, cruelty, abandonment, physical abuse, or a felony conviction, you may be able to file for your online divorce early. However, there still is a mandatory separation period.

Additionally, depending on your state, the requirements for divorce can vary from county to county, so you may be able to e-file for your divorce only in specific counties. If you’re not sure about your county allowing online divorce filing, call the court clerk’s office in your county.

What if I’m Filing an Uncontested Divorce in Virginia and Want to Use an Online Company?

If your divorce is not contested, then there are third-party websites that specialize in filing for an online divorce. If you and your partner have settled such issues as child support, child custody, child visitation, division of your property and debts, and spousal support, then you have an uncontested divorce case.

Can I Use an Online Company in Virginia if my Divorce is Contested?

If you and your spouse are in a situation where your divorce is contested, and you can’t agree on all the major issues, then an online divorce may not be the right choice for your individual situation.

In many cases, contested divorces can be hard and could require you to go to trial. Even if you want to get a quick divorce, if there are many unresolved issues between the two of you, it would probably not be in your best interest to get an online divorce.

While it is wonderful to have online websites that can prepare the divorce paperwork for you, remember that you have to live with your divorce agreement, which could be difficult to change in the future. Utilizing an experienced divorce attorney in the case of a contested divorce is often the best option.

In addition, an online divorce document company cannot act as your attorney. You should have a knowledgeable divorce attorney review all of your documents, especially if your individual case involves a lot of property or a lot of money.

How Can I Get a Divorce Online in Virginia?

In order to obtain a divorce online, you need to complete the following steps:

Decide if you want to use an online company or your Virginia county court website. The court’s website generally will let you prepare all the forms on your computer. You then save your files as a PDF and make several copies.

Make sure your divorce is uncontested and you and your spouse agree on all the major issues such as child custody, support, visitation, spousal support, and division of assets and debts.

Include all the specific details in your divorce papers. Don’t forget to include names, addresses, social security numbers, date and location of your marriage, names and birthdays of all your children, what property you are dividing. Also include the grounds such as no-fault.

Fill out all the forms that are required for your individual county in Virginia.

Check with your county court to see how you can file your paperwork and pay any fees involved.

Have your spouse served with the divorce papers if it’s required. You cannot normally serve the papers yourself, but there are professional process servers who can do that for you.

Prepare the divorce agreement that you and your spouse have agreed to.

Make sure all additional forms are included in your original paperwork.

How Legitimate are Online Divorce Services in Virginia?

Online divorce is just as valid as any other uncontested divorce would be. The process will involve you and your spouse answering questions that will be automatically entered into the legal forms required by your county.

Are there Benefits to Online Divorce in Virginia?

There are three important benefits to filing for an online divorce. They include:

You can save hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars in legal fees because you will probably not need an attorney.

You may be able to minimize the risk of having to fill out the required legal divorce forms incorrectly and having them rejected by the court.

You and your spouse may be able to avoid having to go before the judge.

If you are getting divorced in the state of Virginia, DiPietro Law Group may be exactly what you’re looking for.

The process is simple and can help you avoid a lot of the stress that generally arises from the legal proceedings of a divorce. You’ll also receive support from the experienced attorneys at DiPietro Law Group throughout your divorce process. Visit DiPietro Law Group to get started on your divorce in Virginia.