Divorce cases within the jurisdiction of the magistrate's court
The law determines that a dispute can be considered by a magistrate only if there is no dispute between the spouses about children.
The World Court considers cases that arise from family legal relations and are not related to the upbringing of children. Cases within the jurisdiction of the magistrate court in case of divorce of spouses:
- claims for divorce and division of joint property. if the cost of the claim does not exceed 50,000 rubles;
- on the procedure for using jointly acquired property of spouses;
- on the recognition of marriage as invalid;
- on the collection of alimony (for minor children, disabled parents, etc.).
Note: if there is a clear discrepancy between the price of the claim and the actual value of the property, then in this case the price of the claim is determined by the judge. If the price of the claim is underestimated, then the statement of claim is returned to the spouse with an indication that the matter must be resolved in the district court.
IMPORTANT! The applicant has the right to combine two demands in one claim. However, if at least one of these requirements is not within the jurisdiction of the magistrate, then the case must be transferred to another authority.
The district court considers, as a general rule, cases that do not fall within the competence of other courts (magistrates, Supreme Courts of republics, courts of an autonomous region, the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, etc.).
Also, judges of district courts act as a higher authority relative to magistrates and, moreover, consider cases within the competence of magistrates, if a magistrate has not been appointed in a certain area.
Disputes considered by the district court upon divorce:
- with whom the child will live after the parents’ divorce;
- on the procedure for exercising rights by a parent who lives separately from the child;
- on eliminating obstacles to communication between the child and the parent and other close relatives;
- about parental rights (their limitation and restoration);
- on the division of property. if the claim price exceeds RUB 50,000.
How to prove that there was a marriage?
Proving the existence of a civil marriage should be carried out, as mentioned above, should be carried out in accordance with the requirements of the Civil Procedure Code of the Russian Federation.
The process of proving the existence of a civil marriage is carried out in court using all the evidence provided by law that can reflect the fact of the existence of such a union. The following may be used as evidence:
- Witness's testimonies. those persons who will not be interested in the fact of proving the existence of a union or the contrary should be brought in as witnesses
- Photos and video materials that can confirm the fact of cohabitation of persons terminating a civil marriage, as well as the presence of a full-fledged family.
- Any other evidence that such a union existed and was created specifically for the purpose of creating a family (for example, documents confirming major purchases used to achieve common family goals, etc.).
This evidence will be considered in court in order to establish the fact of the existence of a family and, based on this fact, resolve all existing disputes.
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When should you go to court for a divorce?
Divorce occurs in court if:
- the couple has common natural or adopted minor children. This rule does not apply if
- the spouse is declared missing or incompetent, and sentenced to more than 3 years;
- husband or wife does not agree to divorce;
- The parties have no formal objections, but one of the spouses creates obstacles, for example, under any pretext, postpones a visit to the registry office.
An application for the collection of alimony is the prerogative of the court in all cases where the spouses do not have a notarized agreement. The court hears cases about reducing, increasing the amount or changing the method of paying child support.
The court, when making a decision on divorce, is obliged to consider the issue of assigning alimony if the spouses do not have an oral or written agreement on this matter (Article 24 of the RF IC). It does not matter whether the parties asked for this or not.
If there is such a document, but the husband or wife refuses to follow its terms, alimony is collected through the FSSP. The agreement in such cases plays the role of a judicial act; There is no additional need to file a claim for the issuance of an order.
When determining which court district to submit the statement of claim to, you need to take into account the following provisions:
- Art. 23–24, 28–29 Code of Civil Procedure of the Russian Federation;
- Art. 21–24 RF IC;
- Resolutions of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation No. 56 of December 26, 2017 and No. 15 of November 5, 1998;
- Reviews of judicial practices of the RF Armed Forces on family law disputes.
Peculiarities of consideration of cases related to disputes about children
There are often situations when divorcing spouses cannot come to an agreement on issues related to the future of their common minor children (a counterclaim may be made on these issues). In these cases, judicial divorce involves resolving a number of issues. Jurisdiction involves consideration of such cases by district courts.
The decision determines the parent with whom the child will live, as well as the amount of child support paid by the other parent. The law (Part 2 of Article 24 of the RF IC) establishes these requirements as mandatory. Divorce in court involves an analysis of the agreement on the residence of children. If the court finds a violation of their interests, it is declared invalid.
Territorial and other jurisdiction of divorce cases
According to the Code of Civil Procedure, a claim is brought at the place of residence of the defendant (the place where the person permanently or primarily resides).
Note: the place where a convicted person serves his sentence is not his place of residence. In this case, the claim must be filed at the spouse’s last place of residence.
However, the plaintiff has the right to file a claim for divorce (also in a dispute about alimony or establishing paternity) in court of his choice. Thus, this claim can also be sent to the court at the plaintiff’s place of residence if he has a minor child with him or if it is difficult for the spouse to travel to the defendant’s place of residence).
Contractual jurisdiction means that at any time during the hearing on the dissolution of the family union, the spouses have the right to change the court. in which a case will be considered or is already being considered under an agreement to change jurisdiction.
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As a general rule, the application is sent to the defendant’s place of residence - where he is permanently or temporarily registered. If the claim is filed at the actual, not officially assigned place of residence, this must be justified.
It happens that both parties go to court. For example, a husband filed for divorce at his wife’s place of registration. She, having learned about this, has the right to send a counterclaim to the same judicial branch. It will be reviewed as part of initial production.
If the applicant does not know where the spouse lives, he applies to the court at the last known address of the defendant or the location of his property. Such a decision must be justified documented.
At the plaintiff's option
In some cases, the plaintiff has the right to send an application to the court at his place of registration:
- we are talking about determining the amount and collecting alimony;
- a child under 18 years of age lives with him. It doesn’t matter whether the baby is the same or from different marriages, natural or adopted;
- he cannot appear in court at the plaintiff’s place of residence due to illness.
The rule on alternative jurisdiction applies when it comes to assigning alimony and increasing its amount. If the plaintiff wants to reduce payments through the court, he must file a claim at the location of the child and the parent with whom he lives.
How to file a claim
Civil Code of the Russian Federation in Article 22; 23 and 24 regulate the rights and obligations of participants in the future process during the filing of a claim document. If the spouses live separately, the petition is submitted in the territory of residence of the defendant (Article 28 of the Code of Civil Procedure) or in the place where the couple lives together.
If there is no information about the defendant’s registered address, the plaintiff himself decides the issue of jurisdiction by choosing an authority according to:
- The last place he knows where his opponent lived;
- The address where his property is located;
- Your registration address if the plaintiff is sick or has minor children.
When one of the parties does not agree to a divorce, the second files a petition indicating the reason for its demands. In this case, according to the law, the basis for the claim may be the recognition of the second participant in the proceedings:
- Missing people;
- Guilty of a criminal offense;
- Incapacitated.
The application, a sample of which is provided by the judicial authority, indicates personal data, information about the children, their age, and the grounds for divorce proceedings. If the above grounds are present, an official determination of the judicial chamber is additionally attached.
The following is attached to the statement of claim in the package of documents:
- A copy of the application for the defendant;
- Passports of husband and wife;
- Copy of children's birth certificates;
- Marriage certificate;
- Receipt for payment of state duty.
If necessary, the above documents are added to the main package. In addition, other documentation required by the court may need to be added during the course of the proceedings. For example:
- If you are applying for alimony, information about the income of the spouses;
- On the division of property - its inventory;
- Miscellaneous motions and petitions of the plaintiff.
Patrimonial jurisdiction
Generic jurisdiction is the level and profile of the court authorized to consider the case. Family law disputes are resolved by courts of general jurisdiction.
Magistrate's Court
The magistrate takes on cases in which there is no need to seek and evaluate evidence, as well as double-check the circumstances of the dispute:
- on issuing a court order (for example, when assigning alimony as a share of income);
- about divorce;
- on changing the amount of alimony, exemption from its payment, collection of penalties in connection with
- resulting debt, etc.
During the consideration of the dispute, its jurisdiction may change. For example, if the plaintiff mother supplemented her application with a request to determine the child’s place of residence. In these cases, the magistrate arbitrator himself transfers the case and all materials to the district court.
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The magistrate judges cases by order or claim. Whether an application requests an order or a ruling is not a question of jurisdiction as such. But if the applicant is mistaken in his decision, the arbitrator will refuse to accept the case.
The district court considers all other cases arising from family law relations if the claim contains one or more additional requirements:
- resolve a dispute about children (about who they stay with, for example);
- acknowledge or challenge paternity or maternity;
- deprive or limit the defendant's rights as a parent;
- divide property valued at more than 50 thousand rubles;
- invalidate a notarized alimony agreement, etc.
Possible difficulties in divorce without children
The biggest difficulties in considering such cases usually arise when it comes to the division of valuable property. Disputes involving the interests of third parties are also not easily resolved. These may be obligations of spouses to banks and other credit institutions, as well as business partners.
Divorce proceedings can also drag on when dividing real estate. The most difficult cases are those in which unfinished real estate is subject to division. This may require an independent assessment, and the plaintiff’s costs will increase accordingly.
For this reason, it is better to terminate the relationship in the registry office: the option of going to court can be very time-consuming, and the procedure itself is accompanied by negative emotions. In addition, while the proceedings are ongoing, the property may fall in value. It is also not uncommon for an offended spouse to try to sell, give away or simply ruin valuables.
Divorce in court in the absence of children is a procedure that takes time and takes a lot of effort. But if it is not possible to resolve the case amicably, turning to a magistrate may be the only way out. To convince the court that you are right, you need to provide maximum evidence. Contacting a lawyer who specializes in divorce proceedings will help increase the chances of a favorable outcome of the proceedings.
Divorce according to Article 21 of the Family Code of the Russian Federation
Article 16 of the Family Code of the Russian Federation defines divorce as a legal fact that terminates marital relations. In theory and practice, the concept of “divorce” and the concept of “divorce” are considered synonymous. But at the everyday level, people more often use the concept of “divorce.”
So, the dissolution of a marriage is its termination during the lifetime of the husband and wife. It can also be defined as a legally binding act that terminates legal family relationships and entails corresponding consequences. Only a marriage that is legally registered can be dissolved. An unregistered civil marriage cannot be terminated.
A marriage is annulled at the request of the spouses or the guardian of the incapacitated spouse. This circle of persons is exhaustive, that is, besides them, no one else has this right. Each spouse has the right to file for divorce. An exception is Article 17 of the Family Code, which states that a husband cannot demand a divorce while his wife is pregnant or for another 1 year after the birth of a child. This restriction also includes those situations where a child was not born alive or did not live to be 1 year old. All this is established to protect motherhood.
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Article 18 of the Family Code regulates the procedure for divorce on the territory of our state. Divorce is carried out either by the civil registry office or by the court. Cases on the division of common acquired property, payment of alimony and disputes about children, one of whose parents is incompetent or sentenced to a term of more than 3 years, are always considered by the court.
Civil marriage in the system of family relations
First, let's look at what this phenomenon is. So, by civil marriage today we mean the cohabitation of a man and a woman as a family. At the same time, such a couple considers themselves to a certain extent husband and wife, have a common life, and sometimes have children together.
The main feature of a civil marriage is the absence of any registration of their relationship. Thus, a man and a woman do not register their marital status with the civil registration authorities. Therefore, such a marriage is not recognized at the state level. There is a clear indication in regulatory legal acts regarding the mandatory presence of a stamp in the passport in order to recognize a family at the legal level. Cohabitation of people cannot be a full-fledged basis for legal status.
But, nevertheless, today this form of marriage is widespread and the number of such families is growing every year. How are civil bonds concluded? In this case, it will be sufficient for the couple to recognize themselves as such. That is, there is no need to take any additional actions, especially official ones. Therefore, sometimes it is quite difficult to determine the moment that is the day of creation of a civil family.
Civil marriage has a number of positive and negative aspects. The first category includes the fact that the parties, when concluding this union, do not acquire a number of responsibilities that are typical when securing status in the civil registration authorities. By and large, none of these spouses owe each other anything.
But at the same time, there is also a minus. Thus, citizens do not acquire certain rights. For example, the birth of a child to such a couple does not automatically establish the paternity of the common-law spouse. Recording it as such requires additional steps. Also, this aspect is manifested in the issue of property.
Quite often, the process of divorce in a civil marriage is considered the greatest advantage. This procedure does not require any special action on the part of the family. But, at the same time, when such a relationship breaks, a huge number of questions and nuances may arise, the solution of which sometimes requires time, financial and moral costs.
Jurisdiction of divorce cases if there are no children
If spouses divorce by mutual consent, but due to the presence of minor children are forced to do this in court, they can themselves determine which of them will become the plaintiff and which will be the defendant, and file a claim in the court whose territorial location is more convenient. But, according to paragraphs 3 and 4 of Art.
- simultaneously with claims for divorce, demands are made for the collection of alimony and confirmation of paternity (clause 3 of article 29 of the Code of Civil Procedure of the Russian Federation);
- living with children under 18 years of age (clause 4 of Art.
Courts: consideration of divorce cases Administrative procedure for divorces (through the registry office) is not always possible. Article 21 of the Family Code of the Russian Federation contains the grounds for carrying out the procedure for terminating marriage relations through the courts. Married couples are divorced through court if:
- minor children were born in the marriage;
- one of the spouses does not agree;
- one of the couple avoids the process of terminating the marriage relationship.
When deciding to initiate divorce proceedings, it is necessary to clarify the issue of jurisdiction. The jurisdiction of divorce cases is considered in the articles of the Civil Procedure Code, which determines the possibility of considering claims by courts of general jurisdiction.
Jurisdiction for divorce in the presence of children, as well as other controversial aspects, determines the possibility of appealing only to the district court.
So, during the meetings it will be determined:
- Which parent will the child (or children) continue to live with?
- The amount of alimony that one of the spouses will be required to pay.
- How will a parent who will live separately be able to see the child.
Appeal to the district court If a couple cannot come to a common decision regarding the future of the marriage, then it is best for them to contact the district court. This will help the spouses legally agree on the division of joint property (its amount should be over 50 thousand rubles), as well as on which of them the children will remain with.
As a result, the legislative basis for the functioning of registration authorities consists of documents defining the procedure for their work. In the Family Code, which uses the term “divorce,” divorce is regulated by Chapter 4, Art. 16-18 21-24. The Civil Procedure Code speaks about the termination of family relationships in Art.
22-24, 28, 29, 32. Important. The jurisdiction of cases of divorce in the presence of minor children, and the presence of other negative factors causing the unsatisfactory health of the plaintiff (Article 28 of the Code of Civil Procedure), is determined by the residence address of the latter. Which departments regulate divorce? In domestic practice, civil registry offices and courts deal with divorce proceedings.
If the spouses have already divorced in court and they need a divorce certificate, then they will need to provide a court decision on divorce that has entered into force. Separation of children during divorce The court will decide with whom a child or several children will remain after a divorce on an individual basis, based on the requirements of the law and the circumstances of the case. Many factors influence the determination of a child’s place of residence, and according to the law, neither spouse initially has any advantage.
Dissolution of unions in this manner occurs only in the presence of special circumstances, namely:
- If one of the spouses has a criminal record for more than 3 years.
- If the husband or wife is in the status of a missing person.
- If the court has officially declared one of the spouses incompetent.
According to the laws of the Russian Federation, if the situation in the family falls under any of these exceptions, the husband or wife can divorce their other half, even when the couple has children together. Moreover, the age of the child does not play a role in this case. Documents required for filing a divorce Both the wife and the husband can apply to the appropriate judicial authority to dissolve the marriage.
District courts District courts hear claims related to divorce, which involve not only the plaintiff and defendant, but also their children, issues of division of property, etc. The claim is filed in the defendant's area of residence. In exceptional cases (in the presence of young children or due to health conditions), it is allowed to file a claim where the plaintiff lives. Reference. The court of district jurisdiction is recognized as a higher authority than the magistrate.
District and city courts consider divorce cases if, simultaneously with the demand for dissolution of marriage, demands for...
- on the division of joint marital property, if its value is over 50,000 rubles;
- on the resolution of disputes related to joint minor children (more about the jurisdiction of divorce cases with children - below).
Territorial jurisdiction of a case of divorce without children Statements of claim for divorce are filed at the place of residence of the defendant, which is provided for in Art. 28 Code of Civil Procedure of the Russian Federation. The general rule on jurisdiction applies regardless of whether the spouses live together or separately, both want a divorce, or only one spouse insists on a divorce.
Divorce in the registry office You can get a divorce in the registry office if the spouses agree to this and they do not have common children who have not yet turned eighteen. Also, in the registry office you can get a divorce if the second spouse is recognized by the court as missing or incompetent, or has been in prison for more than three years. The marriage will be dissolved no earlier than one month after filing the application.
You will also have to go to court if one of the spouses refuses to divorce in principle, or does not object to the divorce as such, but at the same time does not want to get a divorce through the registry office - does not submit an application, does not visit the registry office at the appointed time and prevents the divorce in other ways. In these two situations, the features of divorce through the court are somewhat different.
Here you can find out how to get a divorce in court if you have children, regardless of the consent of one of the spouses to divorce. If the spouses have common children under 18 years of age, then the case must be heard in court, based on the statement of claim of the husband or wife. The judge will not reconcile the spouses or find out the reasons for the divorce, but in any case, the case will be considered no earlier than one month after filing the divorce claim.
The issue of divorce is not always resolved quickly and easily - in one visit to the registry office. A number of circumstances, such as the presence of minor children or disagreement with the divorce of the husband or wife (including evasion of applying to the registry office), make it impossible to submit a joint application and administrative divorce, thereby implying divorce exclusively in court, provided for by civil law. procedural legislation.
Depending on the circumstances of the marital life and the claims made in the claim, the divorce case may be considered...
Which judicial authority should I contact? In this article we will analyze in detail what jurisdiction is in divorce cases and what its rules are.
Before registering and filing a statement of claim, it is imperative to find out which judicial body you will have to contact, since the lack of jurisdiction of the claim by a particular court is the reason for refusing to accept the statement of claim for consideration.
Jurisdiction is the procedure for distributing cases between the judicial bodies of the unified judicial system of the Russian Federation on the basis of the provisions of Chapter 3 (in particular, Articles 28-33) of the Code of Civil Procedure of the Russian Federation.
If we talk specifically about divorce cases, then according to the general rule on patrimonial jurisdiction, they are subject to consideration in magistrates' courts (according to Article 23 of the Code of Civil Procedure of the Russian Federation), since they are not within the competence of the courts of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation (city, district) and the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation.
As for the territorial jurisdiction of cases of dissolution of marital unions, the general rules apply to them, as well as the rule on alternative jurisdiction (according to Articles 28-29 of the Code of Civil Procedure of the Russian Federation), on contractual jurisdiction (Article 32 of the Code of Civil Procedure of the Russian Federation) and the rule on jurisdiction by connection cases (Article 31 of the Code of Civil Procedure of the Russian Federation).
In simple words, how is the jurisdiction of a divorce case determined?
It has long been accepted that children should have both parents. Once upon a time, giving birth to a child without a father and/or getting a divorce was generally considered unacceptable. However, times change and so do morals. Currently, almost every second family is breaking up. Even if you have several children. Sometimes they get divorced precisely because of the well-being of their children.
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For example, if the father often drinks, is rude to family members, uses force, etc. Where would it be better for minors - in constant scandals and beatings or in silence and comfort with their mother. The answer is obvious. That is why such questions, for example, how to get a divorce and what is the time frame for divorce through the court, are becoming more and more relevant every year.
Sometimes family relationships are so confusing that only a professional lawyer with extensive experience can unravel this tangle. Very often, your emotional state prevents you from assessing the current situation soberly. Don't get emotional, it will only hurt your business in the long run.
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Divorce from a child through court is possible only during the trial process. Because the registry office refuses to accept the application if there are minor children. Before going to court, you need to know which court to go to. On the one hand, the answer to the question of which court to file for divorce if you have children is quite simple - either in the world court or in the city/district court. But how do you decide which court to take your application and documents to? Let's look at cases when a claim is not denied in the magistrate's court:
- if there are minor children, but there are no disputes regarding them;
- in the presence of property disputes, the total value of which does not exceed fifty thousand rubles;
- in the absence of children (a little off topic, but also subject to consideration in the court of first instance), but if one of the spouses does not agree to divorce.
Deadlines for filing a divorce. What influences them
It takes at least one month and 11 days to legally complete the procedure. Earlier entry into force of the resolution is illegal.
The average duration is from one and a half months in the case when the couple is ready to carry out everything quickly. If one does not agree, the matter takes from one and a half to three months, sometimes more.
On average, one meeting is enough for all formalities, ideally, and from 2 to 4 if one of the couple does not agree.
Understanding the impatience of some citizens, we note that legal acts contain time frames that must be observed. The timing of a divorce is influenced by:
- The Family Code, which states that a meeting can be held no earlier than one month from the date of registration of the claim document;
- The Code of Civil Procedure of the Russian Federation, according to which time is given to appeal the adopted decision;
- The need to correct errors and typos;
- Failure of any party to perform required actions;
- Increased workload of court workers, slow postal service;
- Possible complaints about violations of the law in the actions of the court. If such a document is submitted by one of the participants, this delays the review process for two months.
These factors should be taken into account when starting the process and be prepared for possible surprises.
A claim for divorce - how to formalize and submit it?
The decision about which court to go to should be made depending on the nature of the issues being resolved. The competence of justices of the peace includes the consideration of divorce cases when the spouses have no disagreements regarding the place of residence of children and financial claims (in the amount of more than 50 thousand rubles).
The correct determination of the court district to which an application for divorce should be filed affects not only the timing of its consideration. A claim sent to an incorrect address will remain without consideration and will be returned to the plaintiff in accordance with clause 2 of Art. 135 of the Civil Procedure Code of the Russian Federation. The claim should be filed at the place of registration of the defendant, if known. If there is no information about your current place of residence, you can file a claim at the place of last registration.
The plaintiff may file a claim at his place of permanent residence if:
- health condition does not allow reaching the place of registration of the defendant;
- minor children live with the plaintiff;
- the lawsuit contains a demand not only for divorce, but also for alimony;
- the defendant is missing or is serving a sentence in prison for more than 3 years.
Claims for division of real estate are considered only at its location. This must be taken into account when including such requirements in a statement of claim for divorce. It is not necessary to perform these actions at the same time - property can be divided within 3 years after the divorce.
Before going to the Magistrates' Court, spouses should discuss the nuances of the divorce and agree on essential terms. Agreements are formalized in the form of a written agreement, which is attached to the statement of claim. If your own legal knowledge is not enough, you can seek help from a practicing divorce lawyer.
The agreement must contain the following points:
- with which spouse the minor children remain;
- who pays alimony and in what amount;
- the procedure for communicating with children and participating in the upbringing of both parents after a divorce;
- how the joint property will be divided.
After the agreement is drawn up, it, together with the statement of claim, is submitted to the magistrate. If, before the decision is made, neither party changes its position and does not declare this in an additional petition, the marriage will be dissolved as soon as possible.
If it is not possible to reach an amicable agreement on the future place of residence of the children and the division of jointly acquired property, the spouses go to the district court. District courts are approached when there are significant disagreements on issues regarding the fate of children, property, and the rights of parents after a divorce. The consideration of cases requires more documents, the involvement of witnesses, and the request for certificates from government agencies and third-party organizations.
In a legal dispute, the one who is best prepared for it wins. Courts consider claims on their merits and take into account only confirmed facts, not emotions. You need to support your position with as many documents as possible. Extracts from the house register, certificates and characteristics from the place of work, medical reports, and bank account statements may be useful. In case of property disputes, it would be useful to require the seizure of property that the defendant can sell during the consideration of the case.
Any such document consists of several parts:
- hats;
- main part;
- conclusions.
In the first section you need to indicate:
- the court where the application is filed;
- personal data of the parties.
The second section states:
- marriage information;
- details of the respondent spouse;
- information and children;
- reason for divorce;
- information about disputes between the parties, if any.
The most common causes of divorce, according to statistics, are the following factors:
- dissimilarity of characters;
- bad habits of one of the partners;
- betrayal.
In conclusion, you must indicate the date and sign.
Depending on the situation, the court may:
- consider the filed claim;
- refuse to accept it;
- return the documents to the plaintiff;
- do not take any action on the application.
The first case occurs when all conditions are met and the documents are completed correctly.
The second one can occur if:
- there is already one claim considered by this court;
- the claim is under the jurisdiction of another instance (often this is due to its price);
- the plaintiff is a person who did not have the right to go to court (for example, a close relative of one of the spouses);
- and others.
The third situation occurs when:
- the case is being considered in arbitration;
- the plaintiff spouse asked to return the application;
- the person who submitted the application does not have the right to do so;
- the plaintiff spouse is incompetent;
- the case is not within the jurisdiction of this court;
- and others.
The latter case occurs if:
- the claim was drawn up incorrectly;
- not the entire package of documents is attached;
- and others.
In all cases, the applicant will receive a notification.
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Unfortunately, statistics today are such that about half of marriages in our country end in divorce. Therefore, when divorcing a marriage, many people have a large number of questions regarding this process, namely:
- Under what conditions can you file a claim for divorce?
- Where to file a claim?
- List of documents for this.
- And many others.
The answers to all these questions can be found in this article.
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Options for divorce proceedings
Further events and decisions of family court judges are determined by the actions of the spouses. If:
- Both sides did not come to the meeting. The court dismisses the case, assuming that they have decided not to divorce.
- One of the participants did not appear and did not send a representative. The reasons for non-appearance are being clarified. Whatever the reason, the first hearing is postponed for a time determined by the judge. If valid reasons are found, this is taken into account in the duration of the deferment.
A period of one to three months may be set for reaching a truce, if the other party does not agree, there is no violation of children's rights. When the reasons for absence are not valid, the decision can be made in absentia.
- The plaintiff and defendant came to the courtroom. In this case, the proceedings can take place in several ways:
- The couple agreed on all aspects, there are no property claims, a common decision was made in which the rights of no child were violated. A decision is made to satisfy the claim in one meeting;
- Otherwise, the reasons for the divorce are clarified and, in accordance with clause 2 of Article 22 of the RF IC, a period of up to 90 days is given for reconciliation;
- After the allotted time, if the husband and wife have not reconciled, they sort out all aspects of the relationship relating to children and property. After this, a decision on divorce is made.
- At the request of any party to collect evidence and documentation, the trial may also be postponed.
Resolving the situation in court often occurs with the help of a lawyer. The couple is officially considered divorced only after the claim is fully satisfied. The decision of the judicial authority is sent to the registry office, after ten days the former spouses, providing a copy of it, independently receive their own copies of the divorce certificate.
During these ten days, any of the participants in the trial, if they disagree, can file a new petition.
The concept of jurisdiction
Different situations during a divorce are reviewed by different authorities. It depends on the specific situation. There is an accepted scheme for reviewing documents by the following authorities:
- MARRIAGE REGISTRY;
- magistrate's Court;
- court in the area of residence or marriage registration.
Consideration of the topic of divorce is carried out by the registry office if there is agreement on both sides and there are no minor children. Adult children, or those not born in this marriage, cannot be an obstacle to the dissolution of the union. You can complete the process quickly in this way by filing a claim with the registry office at the place where the marriage was registered.
The jurisdiction of some cases may also relate to the registry office when there are special cases.
- It is possible to get a quick divorce when the whereabouts of either spouse are unknown.
- When one partner is in prison. In this situation, confirmation from the prison management is necessary.
- When one of the spouses is incapacitated. Here, too, a conclusion from the relevant organizations is required.
Divorce cases are often resolved in the courts. This occurs in the following situations:
- if one of the spouses is against it;
- in the presence of minor children.
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Considering the jurisdiction of cases, it must be said that if there are children and there are no disputes, everything is decided in the magistrate’s court. When there are children under 18 years of age and there are disputes, the issue of divorce is resolved in the district court. The decision of a divorce case in a district court when there are small children is associated with a number of other issues:
- about alimony;
- on the division of property;
- about raising children.
It is necessary to know what jurisdiction is in each specific case. This will save you from wasting time if you suddenly start submitting documents to the wrong authorities. The concept of jurisdiction in the judicial system consists of the fact that courts are divided:
- general jurisdiction;
- specialized jurisdiction.
The jurisdiction of all divorce cases is distributed taking into account:
- territorial principles;
- conditions for the distribution of cases of this kind;
- residence or location of both spouses.
Features of submitting an application to the registry office
This type of procedure involves filling out an application in Form No. 8, approved by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 1274 of October 31, 1998. The form will be issued by employees at the Civil Registry Office, but you can come with a pre-executed document. It is filled out jointly by the spouses. In certain situations (business trip, military service, illness of the other spouse), the procedure is possible in cases where one of them is present. In such a situation, you will need to fill out separate applications. In this case, the signature of the absent spouse must be certified by a notary.
To carry out the procedure at the registry office, a state fee must be paid. Confirmation of its deposit is a receipt or bank check. If a divorce is made at the request of both spouses, then each of them must pay 650 rubles. In cases of divorce at the request of one of them, if the grounds specified above exist, the fee will be 350 rubles.
If the appeal is related to certain circumstances, then a court decision will be required to declare the other spouse incompetent or missing.
Contractual jurisdiction and change of venue
The law allows the parties to agree in advance in which court their possible disputes will be heard.
They have the right to discuss such a condition in the marriage contract. In this case, a copy of this agreement must be attached to the application.
If the judge is inclined to grant the defendant's request, he makes a ruling to that effect and sends all the materials to another court district. The transfer of a case can be challenged by filing a private complaint with the court that made the decision within 15 days.
In which court and in what cases should you file for divorce?
In some situations, choosing a court site is difficult. This happens, for example, when the defendant is a foreigner or is serving a sentence in prison.
If the sentence is less than 3 years, the issue of divorce is resolved in court. The general rules of jurisdiction apply: the case is considered by the magistrate court, in complex cases - by the district court.
Difficulties arise if you only need to get a divorce. Any claim in which the applicant demands the recovery of alimony, he has the right to file at his place of registration.
Which court district should I choose if the current location of my spouse or his property is unknown? In this case, the plaintiff has the right to file an application in the area where, according to his information, the defendant once lived.
To justify your decision you can provide:
- written statements from witnesses, such as neighbors;
- letters that came to the defendant at this address, for example, notifications from government agencies; apartment rental agreement, etc.
According to Art. 402 of the Code of Civil Procedure of the Russian Federation, Russian courts are authorized to resolve cases of divorce and collection of alimony if one of the spouses is a foreigner and the other is a citizen of the Russian Federation. In this case, our country’s international treaties with other states are taken into account.
Thus, the agreement between Russia and Latvia stipulates that the courts of both parties are competent in cases of divorce. Spouses can agree on where and using the laws of which country they plan to resolve disputes.
Otherwise, the cases will be considered according to the laws of the state in which they conducted a joint household. At the same time, if a couple has children, the jurisdiction of disputes is determined by the place of residence of the minors.
Divorce and civil marriage
Let's look at this category in more detail. What is meant by divorce today? In the system of regulatory legal acts, this category provides for a special process, which consists of performing a series of actions to break off relations with a spouse and consolidate a new family status.
In fact, this process is typical only for those marriages that were previously registered at the state level, that is, in the civil registration authorities. But in modern life this concept has been slightly interpreted. Therefore, divorce is also used in relation to civil marriage. It is worth noting that in this case it will have a slightly different appearance.
Thus, the registration of a divorce in a civil marriage is considered to be the actual act of breaking the relationship between people who lived together. That is, there is no need to take any specific official actions in this case. Since such a union is not recognized at the state level and does not require certain actions to fix it, the end of life together also does not imply additional fuss. This process is quite simple. Citizens can simply leave, stop communicating, or end their civil marriage by any other means. At the same time, there is no need to contact government authorities to register your new marital status.
Don't assume that everything is that simple. Unfortunately, although the breakup of a civil marriage does not require strict implementation of specific actions enshrined in legal acts, there are a number of points that can significantly complicate the divorce process. So, this category includes:
- a dispute regarding property that was acquired by the couple jointly during the years of civil marriage;
- dispute regarding the right to raise and live together children.
Such two groups, as a rule, lead common-law spouses to official authorities to resolve a controversial issue. Therefore, filing a divorce in a civil marriage still indirectly affects the process of interaction with the state. Although it will not be decided on the basis of normative legal acts that regulate the relations of a family that has registered its ties in the civil registration authorities, the process will still have clear regulation by legislation and its general provisions.
Illegal divorce
In the practice of divorce, situations arise when one of the spouses may complain of illegal divorce. For example, it happens that a decision is made without the participation of the wife when the family has a child under 1 year old. In such situations, it becomes necessary to recognize the dissolution of the union as invalid. This procedure is strictly regulated by law, which explains in what cases this can be done:
- When the circumstances that are important for the consideration of cases are incorrectly determined.
- If the circumstances playing a role in the case are not proven.
- When conclusions are drawn that are inconsistent with the facts of the case
Right to Divorce Litigation and Exceptions
The following have the right to initiate the process unilaterally:
- Any of the spouses.
- Guardian of any member of a married couple if he is found incompetent.
- A prosecutor acting as a plaintiff on behalf of an incapacitated or disappeared spouse. The Law “On the Prosecutor's Office” provides for the possibility of participation of a representative of the prosecutor's office as a plaintiff in a civil case.
A husband cannot register a claim document without the consent of his pregnant wife or if a year has not yet passed after the birth. It is important that this exception applies even if the child was stillborn or died before one year (Article 17 of the Family Code). These restrictions are introduced to protect the interests of the mother and child.
What to do after filing for divorce in court?
A claim filed without jurisdiction is returned to the plaintiff (Articles 125, 135 of the Code of Civil Procedure of the Russian Federation). In this case, the arbitrator issues a ruling in which he explains the applicant’s right to appeal again to the district or magistrate court.
The return of a claim is not the worst consequence of incorrectly determined jurisdiction. If the arbitrator nevertheless considered the case, this will become the basis for overturning the decision in the 2nd or 3rd instance, since the citizen’s right to accessible legal proceedings was violated.
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Life situations are so diverse that the law cannot provide for them all. It has not been established, for example, which court should hear the case if the Russian defendant has never lived and had no property on the territory of the Russian Federation. In order not to make a mistake in such difficult situations, it is worth using professional legal assistance.
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Divorce methods
Currently, the law provides for two ways to dissolve a marriage:
- in the registry office offices;
- through the judiciary.
In the case where the parties do not have small children (under 18 years of age) and property claims against each other and they wish to dissolve the marriage mutually, the first option can be used. Also, if the husband or wife is incompetent, deprived of liberty (and the prison term must be more than 3 years) or is listed as missing, you can also apply for a divorce to the registry office, but for this you will need to attach the relevant documents from the court.
In all other situations, the divorce process between the parties occurs through the court. Further in the article, the most important points related to this method of divorce will be discussed, namely: in which court to file for divorce (in territorial terms) and what is the jurisdiction of divorce cases.
Why is the moment of ending a marriage important?
Spouses, like all citizens, need to protect their rights and interests under the law. To ensure this condition, it is important to record the moment when the union ceases to operate. Its definition is contained in Article 25 of the UK.
If the divorce process was carried out by employees of the registry office, such a marriage is terminated on the day when an entry about this fact was made in the civil register.
Judicial divorce means the end of a marriage on the day the court decision comes into force. The law has a very important clause that former spouses do not have the right to enter into a new marriage until they have received a certificate of divorce from the registry office, that is, until the state registration of this document.
The consequences of divorce affect future legal relationships. As a result of completing the procedure, your personal and property relations are terminated; some rights and obligations specified in legal acts remain:
- The ex-wife can leave her husband’s surname unchanged (clause 3 of Article 32 of the Family Code) without asking his consent;
- Under special circumstances, one of the couple may receive funds (alimony) from the other for his maintenance (Article 90 of the Family Code);
- The legal relationship between parents and children does not end with the termination of a marriage.