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What to know about a final divorce decree

On Behalf of | Jun 17, 2022 | Divorce

After resolving the issues related to your divorce, a final decree will be issued. If you settled the divorce in court, a Connecticut judge will typically issue and sign such a document. Ideally, you will review the document carefully to ensure that it is structured properly and accurately reflects the terms of a final settlement or court order.

What does the divorce decree say?

The divorce decree itself will list all of the relevant information related to a final settlement or court order. For example, if you are to receive alimony payments from your former spouse, the decree will specify how much each payment is and how many payments will be made. If you are entitled to certain assets from the marital estate, the decree will list what those assets are and how they will be transferred into your name.

Why do you need to review the decree?

There is a chance that you will need to modify the decree at a later date if circumstances change. For example, if your child needs braces, it may be necessary to change the final decree to increase the amount of child support that you’re entitled to. In the event that your former spouse fails to live up to the terms of the final settlement or court order, you will likely need to issue a formal legal challenge. If the decree doesn’t say what you think it says, the challenge may fail. This may also be true if the decree omits information or contains other errors.

As a general rule, the terms of a final divorce decree are binding the moment it is signed. Therefore, it’s important to carefully review it before agreeing to be bound by its terms.

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