Divorce Definitions

Mediation A non-adversarial process in which a neutral third party acts to encourage and help disputing parties reach a mutually acceptable agreement. May not be a good option when domestic violence is present. Child Support An amount of money under a court or administrative order that is due and owed by the non-custodial parent for the support of the parent's child(ren). Age of Majority Attained upon one's eighteenth birthday. However, a child support order will remain in effect beyond attainment of eighteen as long as the child continuously attends an accredited high school on a full time basis, the child is determined to be mentally or physically disabled by the court, or both parents have agreed to continue support after the age of 18 and it is incorporated in a divorce decree. Paternity The determination of who the father of a child is in order to arrange child custody and child support in the event of a divorce. Residual Physical Custodial Rights A custody agreement when one parent is awarded visitation by a pre-arranged schedule worked out between the parents or the courts. Alimony A payment made by one spouse to another pending divorce or separation. Abandonment When a parent leaves a child without enough care, supervision, support, or parental contact for an excessive period of time. Annulment The legal dissolution of a marriage. In an annulment, the marriage is treated as though it never existed. Domestic Violence Petition This form serves as your application for a protective order; after obtaining one from the courthouse clerk, completing and returning it, it will be reviewed by a judge. No-Fault Divorce Many states now permit "no-fault" divorces. No fault" divorce describes any divorce where the spouse suing for divorce does not have to prove that the other spouse did something wrong. All states allow divorces regardless of who is at "fault."

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	Did You Know?
	Permanent and incurable insanity is a ground for divorce. For insanity to be considered permanently incurable, a person must have been confined in a mental institution, hospital, or other institution for at least three years, and at least two physicians competent in psychiatry must testify that the insanity is permanently incurable.