If you are contemplating filing for divorce in Kentucky and do not wish to incur legal expenses from securing the services of a divorce attorney, Kentucky divorce forms are available for your use and can be downloaded for free. Of course, divorce filing fees cannot be ignored but are generally quite reasonable. However, before you actually start the divorce proceedings, it is advisable that you familiarize yourself with the legal requirements for the state of Kentucky.
* Residency :
At least one spouse must have resided in the state of Kentucky for a minimum of 180 days before filing can proceed.
* Where to file :
The filing should be done in the county where your spouse resides or your county if your spouse lives out of state.
* Grounds for divorce :
Kentucky is a no fault state and the only grounds for divorce allowed is when "Irretrievable Breakdown" occurs. The grounds for divorce have to be disclosed to the court and in the case the court finds that there is a possibility for reconciliation, the court may order counseling at its discretion.
* Separation status before filing :
Both parties must have been lived separately for a minimum of 60 days before filing. Living in the same residence is permitted, although sexual contact can be cause for dismissal.
* Serving papers :
The Sheriff or Marshall will usually charge a fee to serve papers to your spouse, but you can do so yourself with certified mail with return receipt.
Those are the preliminary steps. Since Kentucky divorce forms can be downloaded for free, you may want to peruse all the different forms beforehand to determine which ones are required and which ones will apply to your personal situation.
Uncontested divorces are the easiest to handle, and a "Dissolution of Marriage" decree can be granted almost immediately, particularly when no children are involved. Furthermore, Kentucky is an equitable distribution state and all properties acquired after marriage will be considered common marital property, to be divided in equitable proportions. The court will also consider factors such as length of marriage, contributions of both spouses to marital property, and personal circumstances of each spouse.
Kentucky divorce forms can be a great source of information regarding other matters such as children, alimony or child support, and these Kentucky divorce forms can be downloaded from the link below:
Download Forms from Kentucky Court of Justice Official Website.