What to expect during a divorce.

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Most divorces in Oklahoma follow a similar series of steps. While the steps remain the same every situation is extremely different. To begin a divorce in Oklahoma a petition is filed in the proper jurisdiction (What is proper jurisdiction?) by one of the parties. The opposing party must then be properly served (What is proper service?) a copy of the petition, a summons, and an automatic temporary injunction, which will determine what can and cannot happen without further orders from the court. The party receiving the petition must then file an answer and counter petition within 20 days of being served. Usually there will be a temporary order application to dictate what will happen before the final order of the court. The next phase is the discovery (What is discovery?) and settlement phase. The parties will take into account what each side wants and whether there can be a negotiated and agreed upon order for the court to impose on the parties. If there is not settlement reached then there must be a trial before the assigned judge in the case. Trial lengths vary greatly from half a day to a full week. At the end of the trial the judge will enter a final order regarding division of property to visitation and everything in between.