Divorce Definitions

Contested Divorce A divorce where the parties are unable or unwilling to come to a mutual agreement. Legal Separation A court order arranging the terms (custody, support, etc.) under which a married couple will live separately. This addresses the same issues as divorce, but does not completely dissolve the marriage. Paternity The determination of who the father of a child is in order to arrange child custody and child support in the event of a divorce. Reimbursement Alimony Reimbursement alimony, as the name implies, is designed to reimburse one spouse for expenses occurred by the other. Abandonment When a parent leaves a child without enough care, supervision, support, or parental contact for an excessive period of time. Joint custody A form of child custody that grants both parents joint legal custody, joint physical custody, or both joint legal custody and joint physical custody. Divorce agreement A divorce agreement spells out the terms of the divorce and the relationship between the two spouses after the divorce. These agreements usually cover property division, child custody and child plans, debt division, spousal support, and any other relevant issues related to the divorce. Alimony A payment made by one spouse to another pending divorce or separation. Child Support An amount of money under a court or administrative order that is due and owed by the non-custodial parent for the support of the parent's child(ren). Orders of Notice Notice ordered by the court requiring the party who filed for divorce to ensure that the other party is served by a sheriff with copies of the "Petition for Divorce".

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	Did You Know?
	Permanent and incurable insanity is a ground for divorce. For insanity to be considered permanently incurable, a person must have been confined in a mental institution, hospital, or other institution for at least three years, and at least two physicians competent in psychiatry must testify that the insanity is permanently incurable.