It is not unusual for couples seeking a divorce to be unable to reach an agreement on various issues, such as child custody to the division of assets and liabilities. While one spouse may have no interest in compromising on a particular issue, the other spouse may be anxious to move on. In some cases, it may be appropriate to ask the court for a “bifurcation” of marital status. What this means is that the court will address the issue of your marital status while postponing resolution of the remaining issues.
Though bifurcation is possible, it is rare. Courts are reluctant to bifurcate divorce cases for two reasons. First, they generally prefer to handle each case as a whole. California courts are heavily burdened as it is, and splitting one case into two inevitably creates more work.
The second reason courts are reluctant to bifurcate divorce cases is that once a marriage has been dissolved, one or both parties may lose motivation to work out the other issues.
Nonetheless, bifurcation is granted in rare circumstances, such as when a spouse is expecting a child conceived outside the existing marriage. In that situation, bifurcation may lead to a quicker judgment of divorce, allowing the expectant mother or father to marry the other parent prior to the child’s birth.
If bifurcation is appropriate in your situation, seek the help of an experienced California divorce lawyer.
At the Law Offices of Judy L. Burger, we will aggressively pursue the best outcome for you in your divorce or custody proceedings. Judy L. Burger is known for taking a firm stand for her clients in high conflict cases in and around the San Francisco Bay and Sacramento areas. If you need help moving your divorce or custody case along, call us today to set up a consultation. Call (415)293-8314 in the San Francisco Bay area or (916)631-1935 in the Sacramento area, or contact us online via our confidential inquiry form. Bifurcating Divorce Cases in California is Rare
It is not unusual for couples seeking a divorce to be unable to reach an agreement on various issues, such as child custody to the division of assets and liabilities. While one spouse may have no interest in compromising on a particular issue, the other spouse may be anxious to move on. In some cases, it may be appropriate to ask the court for a “bifurcation” of marital status. What this means is that the court will address the issue of your marital status while postponing resolution of the remaining issues.
Though bifurcation is possible, it is rare. Courts are reluctant to bifurcate divorce cases for two reasons. First, they generally prefer to handle each case as a whole. California courts are heavily burdened as it is, and splitting one case into two inevitably creates more work.
The second reason courts are reluctant to bifurcate divorce cases is that once a marriage has been dissolved, one or both parties may lose motivation to work out the other issues.
Nonetheless, bifurcation is granted in rare circumstances, such as when a spouse is expecting a child conceived outside the existing marriage. In that situation, bifurcation may lead to a quicker judgment of divorce, allowing the expectant mother or father to marry the other parent prior to the child’s birth.
If bifurcation is appropriate in your situation, seek the help of an experienced California divorce lawyer.
At the Law Offices of Judy L. Burger, we will aggressively pursue the best outcome for you in your divorce or custody proceedings. Judy L. Burger is known for taking a firm stand for her clients in high conflict cases in and around the San Francisco Bay and Sacramento areas. If you need help moving your divorce or custody case along, call us today to set up a consultation. Call (415)293-8314 in the San Francisco Bay area or (916)631-1935 in the Sacramento area, or contact us online via our confidential inquiry form.