Couples who intend to build a life together but do not want to marry can enter a domestic partnership. Being in a registered domestic partnership can offer some significant benefits.
When a couple registers their partnership, they also must take legal steps to dissolve it when they decide to end the relationship. Although terminating a domestic partnership is not as complex as getting a divorce, many people still encounter challenges that need addressing. Luckily, a seasoned divorce attorney could help. Work with a Frisco domestic partnership dissolution lawyer to ensure everything is managed properly.
A domestic partnership is distinct from a formal marriage, a common-law marriage, or a cohabitation arrangement. It does not offer all the benefits of marriage, but it does allow the couple to enjoy some rights they might not have if they were just cohabitating.
For example, registered domestic partners usually can give consent to treatment for each other in a medical emergency. Many employers allow domestic partners to receive benefits like health insurance. However, they cannot automatically inherit from each other absent a will and cannot file taxes jointly.
Wise couples develop a domestic partnership agreement that governs how they handle living expenses, property, and debt they acquire during the relationship, and similar issues. When couples do not have an agreement, they must resolve these issues when they break up. A Frisco attorney could help a couple negotiate the issues they must decide on before dissolving their domestic partnership.
When a couple has been together for some time, they have likely accumulated property and debt and may have had or adopted children together. The couple must agree on property division and make co-parenting arrangements before a judge dissolves their partnership.
There are no laws directing how an unmarried couple must divide their property. If the couple has no domestic partnership agreement, they can make any arrangement that is acceptable to both. When a judge must decide, they will favor a split that seems fair in the circumstances.
Texas Family Code §153.603 requires parents to develop a written plan describing which parent will have custody of the children, how much time they will spend with the other parent, and how the parents will allocate decision-making responsibility. If the couple agrees on these issues, they can submit a joint parenting plan. If not, they must each submit their preferred arrangement, and the judge will decide which plan best interests the children. A lawyer in Frisco could help the partners divide their property and custody fairly when dissolving the relationship.
A couple who officially registers their partnership must take official steps to terminate it when the relationship ends. In many cases, dissolving a domestic partnership requires only that both partners sign a form acknowledging that they have terminated their relationship.
When the couple shares children or has property to divide, they also should file their agreements regarding property disposition and their parenting plan. A judge will review all the documents and if everything is in order, will issue a notice of dissolution. If the couple has a parenting plan the judge will issue it as an enforceable conservatorship order.
If the couple has not resolved any of the relevant issues when they submit the form, the judge might schedule a hearing. The judge would then issue their decision on the outstanding issues as enforceable orders. Working with a skilled Frisco attorney could help domestic partners reach agreements and keep control in their hands in the dissolution process.
Registered domestic partnerships are legal relationships, and a couple must let the court know when they decide to part ways. The process is usually simpler than going through a divorce, but it is still important to ensure things are done properly.
A Frisco domestic partnership dissolution lawyer could guide you in the right direction. Call today to get started.
Our Law Firm’s approach to your case is based on individual circumstances. Whether it is a simple negotiated settlement, or it requires an aggressive approach, we will protect and defend your best interests.
