Pasadena divorce lawyers were intrigued by a new study from Brown University suggesting that divorce is contagious. Researchers found that having a close friend get divorced increases your risk of filing for divorce. The study, which followed several thousand participants over three decades, showed that seventy five percent of participants were more likely to get divorced if a friend was divorced. Even having a friend of a friend get divorced increased the rate of participant divorce by thirty three percent.
What does this study mean for you? The most obvious conclusion is that we all need to be a little more careful in regards to how much influence we allow our social circle to have on our happiness. You must remind yourself that your friend's troubles are not a reflection on the state of your own marriage.
If you find yourself starting to wonder if ending your marriage is a good idea, take the time to objectively think about the reasons you are unhappy. Making a written list of your concerns is a good way to give yourself a sense of perspective. In addition, your list will provide a starting point for questions to ask your attorney if you decide that divorce is the best option.
The decision to divorce should not be taken lightly, which is why California state law does recognize that people sometimes change their minds about divorce. California has a mandatory six month waiting period for divorce. This period is intended to allow time for the possibility of reconciling. The six month waiting period starts on the day the Respondent is served the first divorce papers. The divorce can be canceled at any point within this period by having the person who filed for divorce submit a Request for Dismissal. If you or your spouse filed for a joint summary dissolution, either one of you can stop the divorce by submitting a Notice of Revocation of Petition for Summary Dissolution form.
Once the divorce is finalized, however, there’s no way to turn back the clock. If you reconciled with your spouse after this date, you’d need to get married once more.
How Can We Help?
Please call our office at (626) 683-8113 or email us at info@PasadenaLawOffice.com if you are in need of legal representation during your divorce. Our Pasadena family law firm is staffed with experienced attorneys who can handle issues relating to the division of marital assets, child custody, visitation, child support, and spousal support.