Legal Question in Family Law in Oregon

Re: Dissolution of 17 year marriage.

YOUR POST:

I have been married for 17 years (date of marriage 8/9/1986). We seperated in September 1989, (14 years seperated now) I was going to do an uncontested divorce here in Oregon, but noticed in one of the conditions that you have to have been married for less than 10 years. I need to know what steps I need to take to dissolve this marriage. I have been living with my significant other for 12 years and my spouse has lived with several different partners throughout the years also. My significant other and I have a 4 year old son together, and would like to get married. Thank you.

ANSWER:

You are confusing a �summary dissolution proceeding� involving a less-than-ten-year-marriage with an �uncontested divorce.� They are not the same. In any event, your divorce will not be a �contested� divorce unless the other party formally objects to something that you were asking of the court. (By the way, the divorce itself --- the formal termination of the bonds of matrimony --- is a non-contestable issue.)

As to what steps you now need to take, go to the following website:

http://www.ojd.state.or.us/osca/cpsd/courtimprovement/familylaw/flpacket1.htm

LDG