Glossary

Alimony/Spousal Support: Court-ordered financial support paid by one spouse to the other after separation or divorce.

Business Valuation: The process of determining the worth of a business for purposes of division.

Commingling of assets: Mixing separate and marital property, which can sometimes convert separate property into marital property.

Contested Dissolution of Marriage: A proceeding where the spouses do not agree on one or more major issues (e.g., time-sharing, division of assets, alimony).

Disclosure: The legal requirement to fully and honestly reveal assets, debts, and income.

Discovery: The legal process where both parties are required to exchange financial documents and other relevant information.

Dissolution of Marriage: The legal termination of a marriage (i.e., divorce).

Durational Alimony: Financial support for a set period of time.

Equitable Distribution: A legal method for fairly dividing marital property, not necessarily equally, based on various factors.

Guardian ad Litem (GAL): A court-appointed advocate who represents the child’s best interests in time-sharing disputes.

Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage:  The final court order that legally ends the marriage and sets out terms for time-sharing, property division, and support.

Lump-Sum Alimony: A single, fixed payment rather than ongoing monthly payments.

Marital Property: Property and assets acquired during the marriage and typically subject to division.

Parenting Plan: A detailed written schedule outlining how time-sharing, and decision-making responsibilities are shared.

Postnuptial Agreement: Similar to a prenuptial agreement, but entered into after marriage.

Prenuptial Agreement: A legal contract signed before marriage specifying how assets and spousal support will be handled in the event of divorce.

Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO): A court order used to divide retirement plan assets between divorcing spouses.

Rehabilitative Alimony:  Support designed to help a spouse become self-sufficient, often through education or job training.

Sealed Records: Court records that are not publicly accessible, often requested in high-profile or high-asset divorces.

Separate Property: Property owned prior to the marriage or acquired by gift/inheritance during the marriage, not usually divided.

Separation Agreement: A contract between spouses outlining property division, support, and time-sharing (custody & visitation) during a legal separation.

Shared Parental Responsibility: A court-ordered relationship in which parents are required to confer and jointly make decisions concerning the welfare of a child.

Sole Parental Responsibility: A court-ordered relationship in which one parent has the sole authority to make decisions concerning a child’s welfare.

Temporary Alimony: Support paid during the divorce process before the final judgment.

Time-Sharing: The legal right of parents to spend time with their children (previously known as custody and visitation.)

Ultimate Parental Responsibility: A court-ordered relationship in which one of the parents is awarded decision-making authority over specific aspects of a child’s welfare, including, but not limited to, a child’s education and health care.

Uncontested Dissolution of Marriage Divorce: A proceeding where both parties agree on all issues and terms.