Divorce in Iowa
Dissolving your marriage
To divorce in Iowa, at least one of the spouses must have lived in the state of Iowa for the last year. The petition for dissolution of marriage is filed in the county in which either spouse lives. If both parties live in Iowa, the petition can be filed in a county where either of you lives. If your spouse is not currently living in the state and has not been living in another state for more than one year, you must be a resident of Iowa for one year before you file in the county where you and your spouse last lived as a married couple.
Iowa law requires that the parties wait at least ninety (90) days from the date the opposing spouse is personally served with an Original Notice and Petition, upon filing of the opposing spouse’s acceptance of service, from the last day of publication of notice, or from the date conciliation is completed, whichever period shall be longer. However, the court may grant a dissolution prior to the expiration of the waiting period, in its discretion, under certain circumstances.
Uncontested and contested divorce
In an uncontested divorce, you and your spouse agree that divorce is appropriate. You agree on property division, child support, and child custody in Des Moines.
In a contested divorce, spouses cannot agree on major issues and require intervention.
We fight for you
If you choose to hire our firm after our initial consultation, and we accept your case, you will sign a fee agreement with our office. A divorce attorney in Des Moines from our firm will work with our experienced staff to draft the petition for dissolution of marriage, file it with the court, and serve it upon your spouse. In some cases, we will establish a temporary hearing with the court, especially in cases involving child custody, to establish temporary custody, visitation, and support of the children.
Polk County requires, in most cases, that the parties attend mediation prior to a hearing on temporary matters and before a trial date may be obtained. Mediation is a form of alternative dispute resolution, and in many cases may facilitate resolution of your case. Mediation offers a more expedient and less expensive path to your finalized divorce. If an agreement cannot be reached in mediation, your case will proceed to hearing or trial. No matter what the method or the grounds for dissolution of marriage, Hope Law Firm, P.L.C. stands by you each step of the way offering experienced counsel and advocacy.
Hope Law Firm, P.L.C.—the aggressive and affordable legal remedy for your divorce
Contact us online to schedule your free 30-minute consultation or call us at 515.255.3559. We offer night and weekend appointments for your convenience. If you decide to engage us and your divorce is uncontested, we charge an initial $500 retainer fee. However, there is no guarantee that your case will be resolved using only this amount. If your spouse contests your divorce, we will discuss payment plans during your consultation.
