Family Lawyer serving Tucson since 1991
divorce, legal separation, & annulment
Divorce
A Decree of Dissolution of Marriage ends your marriage. You and your spouse are returned to the status of single, unmarried persons.
Legal Separation
A Decree of Legal Separation ends the community nature of your marriage, but not the marriage itself. You and your spouse are still married, but you no longer own property or owe debt together. Any income, debt, or property acquired after the date of the Decree is each spouse’s sole and separate asset or debt. Even if you later divorce, the property and debt acquired during the marriage cannot be divided between you unless you intentionally acquired it together.
Annulment
A Decree of Annulment does not just end your marriage it makes it so that you and your spouse were never married. Annulments can only be granted under very limited circumstances. Although an annulment negates your marriage, the marriage still created a community and the property and debt acquired during the marriage must still be divided equitably.