Gone are the times when social and economic stigma created high enough walls for couples to escape each other. Though there have also been stories of amazing camaraderie and tolerance developed by the couple despite all the shortcomings, it is also likely that there will be few outliers.
There have been exceptional cases where, for one or the other reasons, the harmony could not be established, or simply faded away. “What to do with such developments?” Our ancestors would’ve wondered. Fortunately, now there is a recourse.
The law allows the individuals, suffering these exceptional causes of bereavement, to disengage and strive again for a new life. Though, separation does not come easy, walking through the maze of law can be added to the already difficult life situation. Unless, of course, if you are supported and guided by a professional who knows his/her way around; i.e. ‘divorce lawyers’.
Who are Divorce Lawyers?
Divorce lawyers are civil lawyers who are expert in family law. In India, we have multiple family laws, depending on the community a different act is applicable. Some prominent ones are as follows:
- The Hindu Marriage Act, 1955: Applicable to Hindus, Sikhs, Jains & Buddhists
- The Parsi Marriage and Divorce Act, 1936: Applicable to the marriages in Parsi community.
- The Dissolution of Muslim Marriage Act, 1939: Applicable in the case of Muslim marriages.
- The Special Marriage Act, 1956: Applied in the case of marriages which are intercommunity or for Indians getting married in foreign countries
- The Foreign Marriage Act, 1969: Applied for the Indians marrying outside India, or more specifically in the case of NRI marriages, or a person marrying an NRI.
The list is however not exhaustive see Personal Law for more details.
Your target lawyer need not be well versed in all the above laws, but he must be aware of the laws relating to the one applicable to you.
How to Find the Lawyer for Your Cause?
Since the law professional is going to be an important contributor to your cause, you must dedicate some time and effort in finalizing one. Here are three simple steps you can follow to ease out your transition journey:
Step 1: What Type of Divorce?
Depending on your situation and reason of divorce your divorce falls in under any of the following types. The process of separation will also vary accordingly:
- Divorce through Mutual Consent
- Annulment of Marriage
- Contested Divorce
Divorce Through Mutual Consent: It is one of those rare cases where, both husband and wife agree to part ways on amicable terms, and are open to negotiating the conditions, custody, and alimony if any. This course is usually the shortest.
Annulment of Marriage: Annulment of marriage is when the law allows separation of married couples based on certain situations that make life difficult for at least one of the spouses. Some of the conditions under which annulment is allowed are as follows:
- Fraud by any of the spouses
- Adultery
- Impotency
- Wilful desertion by one of the spouses
- Domestic assault
- The insanity of the spouse, etc.
Contested Divorce: The case is called a contested divorce when one of the parties does not agree to the divorce or challenges the conditions of divorce in court. Such cases can have a lengthy course, and much resilience will be needed from the petitioner.
Step 2: Decide the Outcome
In any assignment, a clear objective paves the way for a smoother, quicker resolution of issues and the overall activity itself. Same goes for divorce cases. A realistic objective should be arrived at early on by the petitioner.
The situation can be emotionally charged, but life decisions do need a lot of courage and strong will. However, the sight of reality should also be maintained. A realistic objective is likely to be achieved sooner, even if it is a rejection of demand.
Ambiguity can be painful and should be kept at bay as much as possible. It also helps your lawyer to do things faster, and you to ensure quicker relief from the legal maze.
Step 3: Search for Lawyer
There are many ways to look for a lawyer. Especially in our country, when it comes to family matters, relatives have a higher say, at times even overruling the logics. In any case, it only depends on the personal comfort and rapport of the law professional with the litigant.
You can approach a civil lawyer through any of the following ways:
- Personal Contacts or referrals
- Traditional method of approaching the court premise and searching for a lawyer, or
- Online through facilitating portals like LawRato
Online Search for Divorce Lawyer – Benefits
· Choose from several options · Clarify your doubts before the plunge · Check Reviews and expertise of lawyer beforehand · Know the cost estimate · Maintain Confidentiality · Let the Lawyers call you |
While the first two may be time taking, and may need a much extrovert personality, the last one is made possible through the internet. The online method allows you to research sufficiently before engaging the lawyer, and you not only get the idea what to expect, you are also empowered.
Benefits of Online Search
The empowerment comes from the fact that lawyers’ details and client circle are also publicly available, and you may come to know if there had been bad experiences, reviews, etc.
You are also allowed free questions and quotes so that you can get the best within your limited budget. What more? You are never alone in your quest in the online mode, the support staff of the portal is always ready to take you through the hiccups at few clicks.