Attorney Steven R. Tabano
and Associates
Free Telephone Consultation
TO ADVISE YOU ON YOUR RIGHTS
(412) 381-6626
No Fault Divorce
Serving Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Washington and Westmoreland Counties in Pennsylvania
Serving Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Washington and Westmoreland Counties in Pennsylvania
PITTSBURGH DIVORCE AND FAMILY LAW ATTORNEYS
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Attorney Steven R. Tabano
and Associates
Call (412) 381-6626
FREE Telephone Consultation To ADVISE YOU ON YOUR RIGHTS
No-Fault Divorce
The great majority of Pennsylvania divorces are "no-fault" divorces,
meaning the grounds are irretrievable breakdown of the marriage,
rather than fault grounds such as adultery, cruel and inhuman treatment,
personal indignities or other fault-based grounds that must be proven.
Fault grounds can be costly and frequently difficult to prove in court.
More importantly, the process of gathering and submitting proof can
often be embarrassing and painful for everyone — especially for any
children of the parties.
What is a no-fault divorce?
No-fault divorce has much lower hurdles for the parties to overcome than in a “fault divorce.”
A court grants a no-fault divorce when both parties agree the marriage is irretrievably broken.
There are 2 kinds of no-fault divorce:
1. If both parties agree to the divorce, they can obtain a no-fault divorce. After one party files for
the divorce and 90 days has passed after the complaint is served on the other spouse, each
party may file an Affidavit of Consent to divorce. You may also work out any property issues you
have by agreeing on how you will deal with marital property in a Property Settlement Agreement. The court rules require you to file a series of legal documents to complete the divorce. This is the fastest way to divorce in Pennsylvania, but it requires the cooperation of both parties.
2. Unilateral no-fault divorce is available if one of the spouses will not consent to the divorce
but the parties have been living separate and apart (defined by the statute as “complete
cessation of any and all cohabitation, whether living in the same residence or not”) for at least 2 years and the marriage is irretrievably broken. You may file for the divorce before you have lived separate and apart for the 2 year waiting period but you cannot get the divorce until the 2 year period is over. There may be disagreement between you and your spouse about when you
started living separate and apart. It is important to try to get some legal advice on this issue.
Also, you may not be able to obtain a unilateral divorce if there are issues related to property division. You usually must resolve these issues before a divorce will be granted.
However, while a no-fault divorce is granted on the grounds of irretrievable breakdown of the marriage, it does not resolve other issues that often are involved in a divorce such as support, alimony, child custody and property division. These issues may still need to be resolved, either
by agreement of the parties or by order of the court after a trial.
No-Fault Divorce Does Not Equal Uncontested Divorce
Seeking a no-fault divorce saves the ordeal and costs associated with proving one party's wrongdoing. However, no-fault divorce should not be confused with uncontested divorce. Even
a generally amicable divorce often involves some contested issues, and we encourage you to contact an experienced lawyer to protect your rights and interests.
Both parties' agreement to get a divorce is not sufficient to achieve a settlement. The desire to
"get it over with" is common, but the reality is that all marital issues must be resolved for our
courts to grant a divorce. The real challenges are in resolving major marital issues such as:
- Child custody and visitation, as well as child support, if any minor children are involved
- Alimony/spousal support, if sought by either party
- Property division, covering all marital assets and debts, if sought by either party
In cases were a no-fault uncontested divorce is appropriate your divorce can often be completed
in about 90 days for a flat fee. Click here for information about Uncontested Divorces.
Practice Areas and Information
Learn About Our Firm's
Divorce - Child Support - Spousal Support - Custody - Alimony Division of Marital Property - Protection from Abuse
Steven R. Tabano, Esquire
Birmingham Towers
Suite110
2100 Wharton Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15203
(412) 381-6626
STabano@Tabanolaw.com
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