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Start your divorce online in Louisiana

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Our platform streamlines the divorce process, guiding you to a desired outcome with minimal stress.

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Why Choose Divorce.com?

Benefits of an online divorce

Divorce.com provides divorcing couples with prompt and affordable assistance in preparing for an uncontested divorce. It eliminates the need to hire an expensive divorce lawyer or waste time searching for the correct legal forms.

The platform already has possession of all court forms required for Louisiana divorces and helps to select and fill out only those that fit each individual case. By using Divorce.com, you can be sure that your papers will apply to your specific circumstances and local court rules.

Benefits of an online divorce

Divorce.com is accessible from any device 24/7 and only needs a stable internet connection.

  • Answer the questions from the online interview at any time. Your progress will be saved, so you can pause and come back later.
  • Correct and change your answers, without limitations, before submitting the final version.
  • Download the completed papers, ready in a PDF format in just two business days, and print them. You’ll also receive comprehensive filing instructions.

Divorce.com brings you closer to your new beginning!

Benefits of an online divorce

Louisiana Divorce Forms

The first step to starting a Louisiana divorce is to file the divorce papers with the clerk of the court’s office. The list of documents may change, depending on the circumstances, such as the presence of minor children.

Here are the basic forms:

  • Petition for Divorce Under Civil Code Article 102 (with children), or
  • Petition for Divorce Under Civil Code Article 103 (without children)
  • Petitioner’s Affidavit Article 102
  • Petitioner’s Affidavit Article 103
  • Marital Settlement Agreement
  • Default Confirmation Form 1
  • Acceptance of Service and Waiver of Consent
  • Child Support Worksheet Form C-1 or C-2
  • Income-Expense Affidavit Form A
  • Case Management Schedule Form D-2
  • Pretrial Order Form I
  • Motion for Preliminary Default
  • Affidavit of Facts
  • Judgment of Divorce

    • The petitioner might need to collect and file additional papers, such as restricting orders if it is necessary in their case. Some forms may be found using state judiciary resources, such as libraries and court websites at the self-help sections.

The petitioner might need to collect and file additional papers, such as restricting orders if it is necessary in their case. Some forms may be found using state judiciary resources, such as libraries and court websites at the self-help sections.

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Steps to Consider

Filing for Divorce in Louisiana

Residency Requirements

Louisiana judges cannot issue a divorce decree and have jurisdiction over the dissolution case if the couple doesn’t meet the residency requirements.

To initiate a divorce in Louisiana, one of the spouses must be a state resident at the time of filing and have lived there for at least one year.

The spouses must file their case only in the parish where either of them lives or where they last lived as a married couple.

Grounds for Divorce

There are two types of marriages in Louisiana (covenant and non-covenant), and each can be dissolved on slightly different grounds.

A no-fault divorce for a traditional non-covenant marriage is possible, if the couple has been separated for 180 days (no kids) or one year (with kids). Fault-based reasons for divorce are adultery and felony conviction.

Grounds for a covenant marriage dissolution include adultery, felony, separation, physical or sexual abuse, and abandonment for 12 months.

Initial Filing

The Louisiana Supreme Court and 43 district courts in each parish handle divorce cases. A person initiating a divorce (a petitioner) must file a Petition for Divorce, Summons, and some other papers with the court clerk.

The divorce petition should be printed and signed before a notary public since the court clerk cannot notarize it. Additional fees may apply.

The filing spouse must also make two photocopies of the original papers.

Filing Fees

An average filing fee to start a divorce in Louisiana is $250. It’s an initial payment that a petitioner covers when filing divorce forms with the court clerk.

A petitioner can also ask for a fee waiver:

  • they receive public benefits (SSI, food stamps, etc.)
  • their income is less than 125% of the federal poverty level

To ask the court for a waiver, a petitioner must file:

  • In Forma Pauperis Affidavit
  • Supporting paperwork, such as pay stubs, a public assistance award letter, etc.
Serving the Respondent

After filing the paperwork, the petitioner must inform the respondent about the start of divorce proceedings. If spouses agree to have an amicable divorce, the respondent can sign the Acceptance of Service form.

Otherwise, the petitioner has to serve the copies of legal papers. As a rule, they must hire a sheriff who will deliver the documents personally to the other party.

A service fee will be approximately $50. If the respondent lives in another state, the price will be higher.

Waiting Period

After the respondent receives the copies of the papers, they have 21 days to file response papers. If they haven’t or decided to sign the Acceptance of Service and Waiver of Citation form as the acknowledgment of service, the petitioner can schedule a divorce hearing.

They need to call the clerk’s office or visit the courthouse in person to set the hearing date. It should be done no sooner than 21 days from the moment of service or 2 days after filing the waiver of service.

Finalizing a Divorce Case

After the court date is scheduled, the petitioner must prepare and fill out the case information in the judgment of divorce form. There is also a section at the bottom of this document with the addresses of both spouses. They will be used for mailing out certified copies of the final judgment.

If everything is in order, the judge will sign this document and give it to the clerk’s office for processing.

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How to Fill Out Divorce Forms in Louisiana

Filling out the legal forms can be tricky and requires concentration and attention to detail. Here are a few important rules to follow:

  • If starting with the blank forms, read them carefully.
  • Look up all the vague or unknown terminology in legal dictionaries.
  • Prepare documents with essential data (IDs, driver’s license, etc.) required to fill out the forms.
  • Negotiate divorce terms with the husband or wife before putting them in writing.
  • Fill out the forms with the required data and check the boxes applying to the case.
  • Double-check all answers and correct the errors where necessary. Use another blank form to re-enter the data.

Notarize the forms specifically requiring it and take the packet of papers to the district clerk. Note that the clerk won’t accept the paperwork if there are any mistakes.

If you don’t want to risk making a mistake and having to redo filling out the court forms, delegate all the paperwork to Divorce.com.

This platform specializes in drafting divorce papers for couples with uncontested divorces. All you need is to fill out the online questionnaire and get your completed ready-to-file forms in only two business days. It’s less time-consuming than a DIY option and more affordable than hiring a divorce lawyer.

Child custody

Getting a Divorce with Children in Divorce.com

Child Custody

If the spouses have minor children, their divorce process will include child custody decisions. Louisiana family law provides several types of the arrangements:

  • Joint legal custody (both parents have an equal say in children’s health, education, religion, etc.);
  • Sole legal custody (only one parent has decision-making authority);
  • Joint physical custody (a child lives with each parent in turns for equal time);
  • Sole physical custody (a child lives permanently with one parent).
Child custody

In the case of sole physical custody, the non-custodial parent will be awarded visitation rights, if it’s in the child’s best interests. A custodial parent cannot interfere with these visits set by court orders, unless there’s a good reason.

If the parents agree on child custody, they must include a parenting plan and submit it for court approval. If they disagree, they can use a third party’s help instead of going to trial. For example, they can hire a divorce mediator.

Both parties must also attend an educational seminar to inform the parents about how to help children through divorce. They can also ask for advice from a family therapist or look for additional educational resources.

If the spouses can’t agree on custody, the family court will decide for them.

Uncontested Divorce in Louisiana

Louisiana spouses who can resolve their disputes without an attorney can choose to go with an uncontested divorce. Essentially, both parties agree on the terms regarding alimony, child custody, child support, and property division.

The procedure to start an uncontested divorce includes filing a petition for divorce and a settlement agreement with each spouse’s rights and responsibilities in a post-divorce period.

This agreement must meet the following requirements:

  • child custody should be determined according to the child’s best interests
  • all property, such as real estate, money, and debts, should be divided equally (50/50)
  • child support payments should be calculated based on the Louisiana Child Support Schedule

An uncontested divorce is usually a cheap and fast way to end a marriage. To further decrease the divorce expenses, the spouses can prepare for it with Divorce.com. Here, all Louisiana divorce papers are available at a low cost and can be personalized for each specific case.

Child Support

Louisiana courts will determine the amount of child support, using the established schedule from the state guidelines. They have tables with the gross income of both parties and the number of kids. For this reason, each party must submit financial documentation containing information about their current and past income.

If one of the parents is voluntarily unemployed (e.g., doesn’t have a disability), their income will be calculated according to their earning potential. One of the parents might also be ordered to include a child in their insurance plan. The premiums will be added to the basic support payment.

Child custody

Some extra expenses may include:

  • tuition fees for elementary or secondary education
  • transportation expenses;
  • medical expenses that are out of the basic plan
  • extracurricular activities, such as traveling, etc.

Child support payment will automatically end when a child reaches 19 (unless still in high school) or becomes emancipated.

Child Support

FAQ

How long will it take to get divorced in Louisiana?

The shortest time for the spouses to get divorced is six months plus the time for attending court hearings and getting a final decree.

Can I get a free divorce in Louisiana?

You can get your filing fees waived and start your divorce for free. However, you’ll need to file a formal request to the judge and provide supporting financial information.

How do I file for divorce in Louisiana?

A person wishing to start a divorce process must file a Petition for Divorce and Verification with the local court in the parish where they live.

How much does a divorce cost in Louisiana?

The cost largely depends on the type of divorce. Contested cases start from $10,000. If a divorce is uncontested, the spouses can use Divorce.com services and pay for paperwork plus the cost of court fees.

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