Foundations
Start here. The vocabulary and basic framework of a divorce — what the four big decisions are, what your state has to do with it, and what every word in your papers actually means.
Start here
Read these in order.
A curated path through foundations, picked so the next article builds on the last.
- Types of divorce: contested, uncontested, no-fault, faultFour labels you'll see everywhere, two underlying questions, and the combination almost every modern American divorce ends up in.4-minute read
- What no-fault divorce actually meansWhy almost every modern divorce is 'no-fault,' what that phrase doesn't mean, and the handful of states where fault can still matter.4-minute read
- The four decisions every divorce has to makeA 60-second mental model: every divorce settles four things — kids, support, property, and going-forward rules. Everything else is procedure.4-minute read
- How long does a divorce take? The realistic timeline.From filing to final decree, what each stage actually takes, what slows things down, and why 'uncontested' doesn’t always mean fast.5-minute read
- Why your divorce depends almost entirely on what state you're inCustody defaults, property rules, waiting periods, residency — every major rule comes from your state, not federal law. A primer.4-minute read
- Divorce glossary: the words that trip people upNo-fault, contested, ex parte, decree — what the ten most-misunderstood divorce words actually mean, in plain English.5-minute read
- Divorce, separation, or annulment — which path is yours?Legal separation, annulment, divorce — when each one is the right move, when only divorce works, and the trade-offs between the three.4-minute read
- The divorce paperwork tour: every document, what it doesA guided tour of the petition, summons, financial declaration, parenting plan, MOU, and decree — what each does, and what each costs you if you get it wrong.5-minute read
What’s next