Minnesota Divorce Laws -
What to Expect When Help Yourself Divorce Prepares Your Minnesota Divorce Papers

Grounds for Divorce.
Minnesota is a "no fault" divorce state. The only ground for divorce under Minnesota laws is an "irretrievable breakdown of the marriage relationship."

 

Residency Requirements.
You can use our service if either you or your spouse have resided in the state of Minnesota for at least 180 days.

 

Filing for Divorce.
Either spouse may file for divorce in the Minnesota county where they live.

 

Serving Your Spouse.
Service of the divorce papers depends on whether or not you have children. If you don't have children, you will automatically file a joint petition, thus making service unncessary. However, if you and your spouse do have minor children, the Petitioner is required to "serve" the papers on the Respondent. Service is performed by mailing or hand-delivering a copy of the papers to your spouse, and your spouse will sign and file a legal document affirming to the court that he or she has received the papers.

 

Waiting Period/Final Hearing.
Your final divorce decree can be issued once at least 30 days have passed since the petition was filed. 

When Help Yourself Divorce prepares your divorce paperwork, you won't need to attend a final hearing unless you have children. When you have a written settlement agreement, a judge will sign your decree and mail it back to you. However, if you do have children, you must attend a brief final hearing unless you're both represented by attorneys.

 

 

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IMPORTANT: Help Yourself Divorce is a paralegal service, not a law firm. Seek help from an attorney if you need legal advice.