CHRIS PRATT AND ANNA FARIS ARE OFFICIALLY DIVORCED

Chris Pratt and Anna Faris have officially finalized their divorce. The two signed the divorce papers with a private judge.

The couple announced their decision to separate in December 2017, after 9 years of marriage, citing irreconcilable differences. The two were wed in July 2009. Pratt and Faris share 6-year-old son Jack, who they will continue to co-parent, with each having joint custody. Faris filed her response shortly after Pratt and also asked for joint custody and the right to receive child support.  The two had a prenuptial agreement.

“Anna and I are sad to announce we are legally separating. We tried hard for a long time, and we’re really disappointed,” the couple said in a joint statement on Aug. 6, 2017. They added, “Our son has two parents who love him very much and for his sake we want to keep this situation as private as possible moving forward. We still have love for each other, will always cherish our time together and continue to have the deepest respect for one another.”

MET ON SET

Pratt and Faris met on the set of Take Me Home Tonight in 2007 and got engaged just a year later. They were married in summer 2009. Faris opened up about her separation last year, saying, “We’ll always have each other and be incredible friends. There is still so much laughter in our lives together, and he is so proud of me, still.”

She added, “We watched each other grow, and he still cracks me up all the time. And I think I crack him up — unless he’s a really good actor and great at faking laughter.” Pratt and Faris have both moved on with new relationships. Faris has been dating cinematographer Michael Barrett. Pratt has been linked to Katherine Schwarzenegger.

THE STEPS OF THE DIVORCE PROCESS

While every divorce is different, there are some common steps of the divorce process. Remember that state laws vary, and the particulars of your situation will need to be taken into account. This information is meant as a general overview of what the divorce process is. You’ll want to consult with a family law attorney on the specifics of your case. The steps required for a divorce will be completely dependent on the relationship. A marriage that was short, did not involve children, where the spouse did not acquire property or debt together will obviously require less sorting out than a marriage that lasted 26 years, where the spouses bought a house and had three children. When there is less “accomplished” during the marriage, there is less to sort out during the divorce process. In shorter marriages, a couple is even able to obtain an expedited divorce. In fact, there are various forms of divorce available (of course, you will need to ensure your state laws regarding these types of divorce), including the following: 

Summary Divorce: This is an expedited divorce procedure for couples who meet the following requirements: haven’t been married for very long (usually five years or less), don’t own much property, don’t have children, and don’t have significant joint debts. Both spouses must agree to the divorce and file court papers jointly. There is no need to go to trial with this form of divorce. 

Uncontested Divorce: This is when both spouses agree to the terms of a divorce and file the court papers cooperatively. There is no need to go to trial with this form of divorce. 

Default Divorce: This is when you file for divorce and your spouse doesn’t respond. A court is able to grant you a divorce even if your spouse did not participate. This is often what happens when spouses cannot be found. There are a number of rules regarding this form of divorce, so you will need to consult a family law attorney or your local divorce court system to obtain this form of divorce. 

Fault and No-Fault Divorce. California is a “no-fault” state, and what this means is that rather than placing blame on a spouse, all you need to declare is that you and your spouse have “irreconcilable differences” or have suffered an “irremediable breakdown” of your relationship. In fault states, you are able to assign fault to a spouse – such as adultery. There are a number of rules regarding assigning “fault,” so you will need to consult a family law attorney or your local divorce court system. 

Mediated Divorce. This is a very common process, during which a mediator serves as a neutral third party to help you and your spouse resolve the aspects of your divorce. A mediator does not make decisions, but rather helps the both of you come to an agreement on everything. 

Collaborative Divorce. Collaborative divorce is a kind of hybrid between a standard divorce and a mediated divorce. You and your spouse both hire separate lawyers that are trained to work with each other to settle your case. This can also involved a larger team of a financial or tax or property adviser. Each spouse discloses all necessary information for fair negotiations, and then meets with each other and both lawyers to discuss settlement. In this form of divorce, if you are not able to settle and thus have to go to court, the original attorneys you have worked with with withdraw from the case and you’ll need to hire different attorneys to take your case to trial. 

Arbitration. In arbitration, you and your spouse hire a private judge, called an arbitrator. The arbitrator makes the same judgments a judge would make. Both spouses must honor the arbitrator’s decisions as if a judge had made them. 

Contested Divorce. This is when spouses are unable to decide on property or child custody, or any other aspect of a marriage. The decision will have to be made by a judge in court. You will need to go through settlement negotiation and hearings.  If spouses are unable to resolve the case after that, a court trial is held to determine the aspects of the divorce.

STARTING THE DIVORCE PROCESS

1. FILE PETITION

The first step in the divorce process is filing a petition. This must be done even if both spouses are okay with divorcing. One spouse must file a petition with the court to ask for a divorce. This petition states the grounds for divorce. In California, this is typically “irreconcilable differences.”

2. TEMPORARY ORDERS

If a spouse is dependent on the other for financial support or will have custody of the children, that spouse will need to ask the court for temporary orders for support and custody. A temporary order for these things is usually granted within a few days and remains in effect until a full court hearing. If the spouse seeking the temporary order is the same spouse that is filing the petition, they should file the temporary order at the same time. If the spouse seeking the temporary order did not file the petition, they need to file their request for the temporary order as soon as possible.

3. SERVICE OF PROCESS

The spouse that files the divorce petition will also need to proof of service of process. This is a document that proves a copy of the divorce petition was given and received by the other spouse. You can either work with a process server, or in most cases when you work with a divorce attorney, they handle this part of the process.

4. RESPONSE

The spouse receiving the service of process needs to file a response to the petition. The responding spouse may want to dispute the alleged grounds for divorce. If there is disagreement regarding property division, support, custody, or any other issue, this should be set out in the response.

5. NEGOTIATION

Spouses will need to negotiate their differences if there are any. This is when mediation or collaborative divorce processes work. If spouses still do not agree, they may need to go to trial.

6. TRIAL

If spouses cannot come to an agreement on any aspect of a divorce, they will need to go to trial where a divorce court judge will rule on the divorce agreement.

7. CREATION OF THE ORDER OF DISSOLUTION

The order of dissolution is a decree that officially ends the marriage and spells out how all aspects of a marriage, including: the property and debts, custody, support and any other issues are to be divided. Two spouses that are able to negotiate on their own are able to draft an order of dissolution and submit it to the court. If this complies with the set legal requirements and both parties entered into it knowingly and willingly, then a judge approves it.

MOVING FORWARD

After your divorce is finalized, it’s time to move forward. Here are some tips for self-care after divorce:

• Exercise
• Change Your Diet Up
• Eat Healthy Foods
• Try to Keep to a Normal Schedule
• Get Sunshine
• Network of Support
• Try to Relax
• Practice Mindfulness
• Consider Getting Help Using a Therapist or Mental Health Professional
• Hold Off on Having Another Relationship

WORKING WITH A DIVORCE ATTORNEY

If you are facing a divorce, you should work with a divorce attorney that can take a look at your specific situation and give you advice based on it, rather than approach it with a one size fits all mindset. Your specific situation will be particular to you and your marriage and the way your life was set up during the marriage. This might mean major financial decisions regarding retirement funds, property, child support and custody, and alimony. A divorce attorney will work with you to help you decide how you want to tackle these elements of your marriage and divorce, while also providing guidance and support. They will be able to lead you through the process while keeping you from procrastination and caving into pressure. They’ll also be able to help ensure you meet all the required timelines while ensuring that you get a fair case and trial should you need to go to court. Lastly, they’ll be able to help you find the freedom and new life you are seeking – one that is entirely on your terms.

For advice on divorce, you need the expert law firm of 619 DIVORCE. Schedule a consultation today.

(619) DIVORCE
225 Broadway
San Diego, CA 92101
Phone: (619) 431-3131