The Harris Firm Blog

Posted by Steven A. Harris | Divorce

You do not have to catch your spouse in the act to prove adultery in an Alabama divorce. Alabama courts accept circumstantial evidence, and the working standard is straightforward to say and hard to fake: you must show your spouse had the inclination to commit adultery and the opportunity to do it. Romantic text messages …

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Posted by Steven A. Harris | Divorce

The cost of going back to modify your divorce in Alabama depends almost entirely on one question: does your ex-spouse agree to the change? Modifications are handled on a retainer, and retainers for family law matters usually start at $4,000, with the attorney billing hourly against it as the case proceeds. When everyone is in …

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Posted by Steven A. Harris | Divorce

Divorce lawyers in Alabama charge one of two ways: a flat fee, which is a single fixed price for a defined bundle of work, or a retainer, which is a deposit you pay up front that the attorney bills against by the hour as the case moves along. Flat fees are typically reserved for uncontested …

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Posted by Steven A. Harris | Divorce

A contested divorce trial in Alabama is a bench trial: a circuit court judge, not a jury, hears the evidence and decides every issue the spouses could not resolve themselves, including property division, alimony, child custody, and child support. Both sides present documents and witness testimony, each spouse can be cross-examined, and the judge’s decision …

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Posted by Steven A. Harris | Divorce

Yes, you can still get a divorce in Alabama even if your spouse refuses to sign the papers or ignores them completely. A lot of people call our office worried that a stubborn spouse can hold the marriage hostage forever. They can’t. What they can do is make the process slower and more expensive than …

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Posted by Steven A. Harris | Divorce

You signed the divorce papers, and now you are not so sure. Maybe you and your spouse have started talking again. Maybe the reality of splitting the house, the kids’ schedules, and two sets of bills finally set in. Whatever the reason, one of the most common calls our office gets is some version of …

Continue reading "Can I Change My Mind After I Sign Divorce Papers?"

Posted by Steven A. Harris | Divorce

You are ready to end the marriage. Your spouse is not. Maybe they keep promising to change, maybe they refuse to discuss it at all, or maybe they have simply disappeared and stopped answering calls. One of the most common misconceptions we hear from Alabama clients is the belief that a divorce requires two willing …

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