How do you divorce an abusive narcissist? While most wedding vows include a term that states “until death do us part,” you do not have to stay in your marriage until death terminates your marriage. Out of all marriages, almost half of them end in divorce. Marriage can be challenging in many aspects, so it may be hard to remain committed to making your marriage last. This is especially true if you are married to an abusive narcissist, so if you want to legally dissolve your marriage, here is what you need to do. 
Your first step should be to contact a divorce lawyer in Birmingham. It is best to hire a divorce attorney because they will know what all needs to be done procedurally, and they will be able to present your arguments to the judge in a way that is most favorable to you. Do your research, and schedule a consultation with an experienced divorce attorney. At this consultation, come prepared with any questions you may have, and you may want to bring something that you can take notes on. Try to be open and honest with your attorney because they need to know everything in order to best represent you. During the consultation, your Trussville divorce attorney will explain the typical process and their payment expectations, and they will discuss how they believe you should divorce an abusive narcissist, whether it be contested or uncontested.
If the divorce is contested, your next step will be to have a Petition for Divorce filed in the Circuit Court. The Divorce Petition will state your facts, grounds for divorce, and arguments or requests. Then, your spouse will be served notice of the proceeding, and they will have the opportunity to respond to your position and appear in court. During this time, your divorce attorney in Decatur, or wherever you live, will be preparing your case for trial by researching any relevant law and by performing discovery, which collects information through documents, witnesses, and other pieces of evidence.
Once your case goes to trial, your attorney and the opposing divorce lawyer will present their cases, and the judge will decide the outcome of your issues. The entire process of a contested divorce can take a very long time, but the judge may enter a divorce decree any time after Alabama’s mandatory 30 day “cooling off” period. The divorce decree will state all of the terms and obligations of your divorce, and it will finalize your divorce to where you are no longer legally married.
If your divorce is uncontested in Morgan County, or anywhere else in Alabama, then the process is much simpler. For one of these divorces, you would need to talk with your spouse and try to reach an agreement on each term of your divorce. These terms consist of issues like alimony, or spousal support. If you cannot agree, you should try mediation before it becomes contested. Once all of the terms are agreed to, you will meet with your divorce attorney, and they will draft a marital settlement agreement, which states all of the terms and obligations as you and your spouse agreed.
Then, you and your spouse will need to carefully read and fully understand the agreement before both of you sign it. Once it is signed, your attorney will file it and a Petition for Divorce with the Circuit Court at the same time. The judge will then include the agreement in their order, which is legally enforceable. Since the terms have already been settled, the judge can issue your final divorce decree anytime after 30 days, which will officially make you single in the eyes of the law.
Attorney Steven A. Harris regularly blogs in the areas of family law, bankruptcy, probate, and real estate closings on this website. Mr. Harris tries to provide informative information to the public in easily digestible formats. Hopefully you enjoyed this article and feel free to supply feedback. We appreciate our readers & love to hear from you!