Louisiana Divorce Information and
FAQ
In addition to a No-Fault ground, there are three accepted grounds for
divorce in Louisiana:
(1) The spouses have been living separate and apart for a period of 6
months or longer; (2) Adultery; (3) Spouse has committed a felony and has
been sentenced to death or imprisonment with hard labor.
A "No-Fault" divorce may be had if one spouse desires a
divorce. There are no requirements to show marital breakdown, fault,
living separate and apart, or any other basis for a divorce. After the
filing of the petition, the divorce will be granted after a period of 180
days has elapsed from the filing date and if the spouses have lived
separate and apart since the filing of the divorce petition.
Venue An action for divorce can be filed in the parish where either
party is domiciled, or in the parish where the spouses last lived
together.
Spousal Support In Louisiana, there are two types of Spousal Support
(sometimes called "Alimony"). (1) Temporary Support: Awarded to
a spouse who does not have sufficient income for his or her maintenance
pending the divorce. The most important factor considered by the court is
the standard of living which existed during the marriage.
(2) Post-Divorce Spousal Support (a.k.a. "Permanent
Alimony"): Post-Divorce Spousal Support is designed to provide the
needy ex-spouse with the basic necessities of life. Post-Divorce Spousal
Support can be awarded to an ex-spouse who is found to be free from fault
in the breakdown of the marriage and does not have sufficient means for
his or her own support.
The fault of the paying party is not relevant to the issue of spousal
support. However, the receiving spouse must show that he or she is not at
fault. There are no hard statutory rules defining "fault" for
purposes of spousal support-- the determination is left to the court,
based on the authority of previous cases and some guidance from the civil
code.
Other spousal support matters The amount of temporary spousal support
is based on the standard of living maintained before the divorce. The
amount of post-divorce spousal support is based on the needy party's
requirements and the payor's ability to pay. Temporary spousal support
ends when the marriage is officially disolved. Post-Divorce spousal
support ends when the receiving party remarries, dies, no longer needs the
money for basic necessities (ie- has enough income to cover these), or
lives with another person openly as if they were married. The parties
could also agree to a "lump sum" payment, which would end when
the lump sum is paid off, whether paid all at once or in installments over
time, depending on the specifics of the agreement.
Child Support Louisiana has guidelines for determining the amount of
support that should be provided for one or more children. The parent who
does not have custody of the child will usually be required to contribute
to the support of any minor children. Parents often agree on the amount of
child support. If the parents cannot agree, the court will use the
guidelines in determining the amount. A table containing the relevant
amounts is included wiht your USLF divorce (with children) package. The
guidelines take into account expenses of the child and the paying parent's
income. Items like private school or day care are decided on a
individualized basis.
Child Custody Parents often agree on child custody. If child custody is
an issue, a contested divorce will result (contested divorces are outside
the scope of the USLF divore package). You and your spouse should try to
decide the custody arrangements for the children and what the visitation
schedule should be without the help of the court. If the parents cannot
agree, the court will decide on custody and visitation. The court will
consider the following factors when making decisons about child custody:
1. The relationship between each parent and the children. 2. The care
or concern undertaken by each parent. 3. The current residence of the
children and the overall effect of changing the residence. 4. The amount
of time each parent can spend with the children. 5. The emotional and
financial stability of each parent. 6. How each parent treats the other.
7. The expressed desires of the children (though the child is not allowed
to decide, the court makes the final decision).
Each case is unique, the court will make the ultimate decision in view
of the "best interest of the child".
Division of Property The general rule in Louisiana is that everything
acquired by the spouses during the marriage is owned by them equally.
"Community property" is that which is acquired during the
marriage through the effort, skill or industry of either spouse, property
donated to the spouses jointly and other property not classified as
"separate." "Separate property" is property owned
before marriage, individual gifts during marriage and inherited property.
Separate property is usually not divisable. If the parties cannot agree on
the division of the property, the court wiull divide the property as
equitably as possible. Though the conduct of the parties can effect the
granting of divorce and custody, the conduct of the parties has NO EFFECT
on property division (unless there are unusual circumstances).
Abbeville Abita Springs Acme Addis Adner
Aimwell Ajax Akers Albany Alex Alexandria Alfalfa Algiers Allemand Allen
Aloha Alto Ama Amelia Amite Anacoco Anandale Angie Angola Ansley Antonia
Arabi Arcadia Archibald Archie Arcola Arizona Armistead Arnaudville
Ashland Ashley Athens Atlanta Avery Island Avondale Aycock Azucena Bagdad
Bains Baker Baldwin Ball Balmoral Banks Springs Barataria Barksdale Air
Force Base Barnet Springs Barron Basile Baskin Bastrop Batchelor Baton
Rouge Bawcomville Bayou Blue Bayou Current Bayou Goula Bayou Petite
Prairie Bayou Rouge Bayou Vista Beachview Bear Creek Beaver Bee Bayou
Beekman Belair Belcher Bell City Belle Chasse Belle Point Belle Rose
Bellevue Bellview Bellwood Belmont Bennetts Bay Benson Bentley Benton
Bernice Berwick Bethany Bethel Bienville Big Island Big Ridge Black Hawk
Blackburn Blade Blanchard Blanche Blanks Blue Lake Bodcau Bodoc Bogalusa
Bohemia Boline Bond Bonita Book Boothville Bordelonville Borodino Bosco
Bossier City Bougere Bourg Boutte Boyce Braithwaite Branch Breaux Bridge
Breezy Hill Bridge City Brittany Broadmoor Brookwood Brouillette Broussard
Brownsville Brownville Bruly Saint Martin Brusly Bryceland Buckeye Bucks
Landing Bueche Bunkie Buras Burns Town Burnside Burroughs Burrwood Bush
Bushes Butte Larose Bywater Caddo Cade Cadeville Calcasieu Calcasieu
Marine Tower Calhoun Calloway Corners Calumet Calvin Cameron Camp
Beauregard Camp Claiborne Camp Stafford Campground Campti Cane River
Cankton Carencro Carlisle Carlton Carrollton Cartwright Carville Caspiana
Castle Village Castor Castor Lane Castor Plunge Cecilia Cedar Grove
Centenary Center Point Centerville Central Chalmette Chambers Chandler
Park Charenton Charles Park Chase Chataignier Chatham Chauvin Chef Menteur
Cheneyville Cheniere Cherokee Village Chestnut Chickama Chickasaw Chipola
Chopin Choudrant Choupique Church Point Claiborne Clare Clarence Clarks
Clayton Clayton Junction Clearwater Clifton Clinton Cloutierville Cocodrie
Cocoville Colfax Colgrade Collinston Colquitt Columbia Columbia Heights
Commerce Park Concord Concordia Lake Consuella Convent Converse Coopers
Cooters Point Copenhagen Corey Corinth Cotile Cotton Valley Cottonport
Coushatta Covington Cow Island Crackville Creole Creston Crew Lake Crews
Crowley Crowville Cullen Curry Custom House Cut Off Cypremort Point
Cypress Cypress Gardens Danville Darrow Davant Dean Chapel Deer Park
Dehlco Delacroix Delcambre Delhi Delta Delta Garden Denham Springs Dennis
Mills Dequincy Deridder Derry Des Allemands Destrehan Deville Dewdrop
Dixie Dodson Dogwood Terrace Dona Donaldsonville Donner Dora Bend Doty
Garden Downsville Doyline Drew Dry Creek Dry Prong Dubach Dubberly Dulac
Dunbarton Dunn Duplessis Dupont Duson Duty Ferry Dykesville East Hodge
East Winnfield Eastside Ebarb Echo Edgard Effie Egan Elam Elba Elizabeth
Elm Grove Elmer Elmwood Elton Empire Energy Center Englewood Enterprise
Eola Epps Erath Eros Erwinville Esler Estherwood Ethel Eunice Eureka Eva
Evangeline Evans Evergreen Extension Fairbanks Fairgrounds Fairmont
Fairview Farmerville Fellowship Fenton Ferriday Fields Fifth Ward Fillmore
Fisher Fishville Flat Creek Flatwoods Fletcher Flora Florien Flournoy
Flowers Landing Fluker Folsom Fondale Forbing Fordoche Forest Forest Hill
Forest Park Forksville Fort de Russy Fort Jessup Fort Necessity Fort Polk
Foules Four Forks Francis Place Franklin Franklinton French Settlement
Friendship Frierson Frogmore Frost Town Fullerton Gaars Mill Gahagan
Galbraith Galliano Galvez Gandy Spur Gansville Garden City Gardner
Garyville Gassoway Gateway Geismar Gentilly Georgetown Gheens Gibsland
Gibson Gilark Gilbert Gilliam Girard Glenmora Glenwild Gloster Glynn
Golden Meadow Goldman Goldonna Gonzales Gooberville Good Hope Good Pine
Goodwill Goodwood Gordon Gorhamtown Gorum Goudeau Grambling Gramercy Grand
Cane Grand Chenier Grand Coteau Grand Isle Grangeville Grant Gray Grayson
Green Acres Green Gables Green Lawn Terrace Greensburg Greenwell Springs
Greenwood Gretna Grosse Tete Gueydan Gum Springs Road Hackberry Hagewood
Hahnville Haile Hall Hall Summit Hamburg Hammet Hammond Hanna Harahan
Hardwood Hargis Harmony Harrisonburg Hart Harvey Hatcher Haughton
Hawthorne Hayes Haynesville Head of Island Hearn Island Hebert Hebron
Heflin Helena Henderson Hessmer Hester Hi Land Hickory Hickory Grove
Hickory Valley Hicks Highland Highland Park Hillsdale Hilly Hineston Hodge
Holden Holloway Holly Holly Grove Holly Ridge Hollybrook Holsey Home Place
Homer Hootenville Hopedale Hornbeck Hosston Hotwells Houma Houston Spur
Hudson Husser Hyde Hydropolis Iatt Lake Iberville Ida Idlewild
Independence Indian Creek Indian Village Industrial Innis Iota Iowa Irma
Ironton Ivan Jackson Jamestown Jarreau Jeanerette Jefferson Jena Jennings
Jigger Johnsons Bayou Jones Jonesboro Jonesburg Jonesville Jordon Hill
Jowers Joyce Junks Kadesh Kaplan Keatchie Keithville Kelly Kellys Kemps
Landing Kendricks Ferry Kenilworth Kenner Kentwood Kickapoo Kilbourne
Killian Killona Kinder Kingston Kingsville Kiroli Woods Kisatchie Kolin
Koran Kraemer Krotz Springs Kurthwood La Camp La Chute La Place
Labadieville Labarre Lacassine Lacombe Lafayette Lafayette Square Lafitte
Lake Lake Arthur Lake Bruin Lake Charles Lake Providence Lake St John
Lakeland Lakeshore Lakeside Lamkin Lamourie Lapine Laplace Larose Larto
Latanier Lawhon Lawtell Le Moyen Leander Lebeau Leblanc Lecompte Lees
Creek Leesville Leeville Leland Lemoine Town Lena Leonville Lettsworth
Levee Heights Levens Addition Lewisburg Liberty Hill Libuse Liddieville
Lillie Linville Lions Lisbon Lismore Litroe Little Caillou Little Creek
Little Egypt Livingston Livonia Lockhart Lockport Locust Ridge Log Cabin
Logansport Loggy Bayou Logtown Lonepine Longbridge Longlake Longleaf
Longstreet Longville Loranger Loreauville Lottie Loyds Bridge Lucerne
Lucky Luling Luna Lutcher Lydia Madison Park Madisonville Magda Magnolia
Mamou Mandeville Mangham Manifest Mansfield Mansura Mansura Junction Many
Marco Maringouin Marion Marksville Marrero Mars Hill Marthaville Martin
Park Mathews Maurepas Maurice Mayflower Mayna McCall McDade McIntyre
McNary McNeely McNutt Meaux Meeker Melder Melrose Melville Mer Rouge
Meraux Mermentau Merryville Metairie Midland Midway Mill Creek Millerton
Millikin Milton Minden Minorca Mira Mitch Mitchell Mitchell City Mittie
Modeste Moncla Monette Ferry Monroe Montcalm Montecello Montegut Monterey
Montgomery Monticello Montpelier Montrose Montz Mooringsport Mora
Moreauville Moreland Morgan City Morganza Morrow Morse Morville Moss Bluff
Mound Mount Airy Mount Carmel Mount Hermon Mount Lebanon Mount Olive Mount
Sinai Mount Union Mount Zion Mudville Myrtle Grove Nantatchie
Napoleonville Natalbany Natchez Natchitoches Nebo Negreet New Belledeau
New Era New Hope New Iberia New Light New Orleans New Roads New Salem New
Sarpy New Verda New Verda Community New Zion Newellton Newlight Newllano
Noble Noles Landing Norco North Hodge North Shore Northeast Northwestern
Norwood Notnac Oak Grove Oak Ridge Oakdale Oakland Oaks Oberlin Odenburg
Odra Oil City Okaloosa Olinkraft Olla Omega One American Place Opelousas
Ormond Oscar Ostrica Otis Pace Packton Paincourtville Palmetto Panola
Paradis Paradise Parhams Parks Patch Leg Patterson Paulina Pawnee Pearl
River Peason Pecan Acres Peck Pelican Pendleton Perry Perryville Pickering
Pierre Part Pilottown Pine Coupee Pine Grove Pine Prairie Pineville
Pioneer Pitkin Plain Dealing Plainview Plaquemine Plattenville
Plaucheville Pleasant Hill Pleasant Ridge Point Point Clair Pointe A la
Hache Pollock Ponchatoula Poole Port Allen Port Barre Port Eads Port
Sulphur Port Vincent Porterville Potash Powhatan Poydras Prairieville
Pride Princeton Prospect Provencal Providence Quaid Quimby Quitman
Raceland Ragley Ramah Rapides Rattan Rayne Rayville Red Chute Red Fish Red
Gum Reddell Reeves Reggio Reserve Rexmere Rhinehart Richmond Richwood
Ridgecrest Ringgold Rio Risinger Woods River Ridge Riverton Riverwood
Roanoke Robeline Robert Rock Rock Hill Rock Quarry Rocky Branch Rodessa
Rodoc Rogers Roosevelt Rosa Rosedale Rosefield Roseland Rosepine Rougon
Routon Roxana Roy Ruby Ruple Ruston Sabine Sailes Saint Amant Saint
Benedict Saint Bernard Saint Bernard Grove Saint Charles Saint
Francisville Saint Gabriel Saint Genevieve Saint Gertrude Saint James
Saint Joseph Saint Landry Saint Martinville Saint Maurice Saint Rose
Saline Sanbeimer Sandy Hill Saranac Sardis Sarepta Schriever Scotlandville
Scott Searcy Selma Sentell Shamrock Sharp Shaw Shelburn Shell Beach Shell
Point Shelton Sheridan Shiloh Shongaloo Shreve Island Shreveport
Shrewsbury Sibley Sicily Island Siegle Sieper Sikes Simmesport Simms
Simpson Simsboro Singer Slagle Slaughter Slidell Sligo Somerset Sondheimer
Sorrento South Kenner South Pass South Winnfield Southern Southern Hills
Southfield Spanish Lake Spearsville Spencer Splane Place Spokane Spring
Lake Springcreek Springfield Springhill Springridge Standard Starks Start
Sterlington Stonewall Sugartown Sulphur Summer Grove Summerfield
Summerville Sun Sunnyhill Sunset Sunset Acres Sunshine Swampers Swartz
Sweet Lake Taconey Talisheek Talla Bena Tallulah Tangipahoa Tanglewood
Tannehill Taylor Taylor Hill Taylortown Temple Tensas Bluff Terry
Terrytown The Bluffs Theriot Thibodaux Thomas Thomastown Three Bridges
Tickfaw Timber Trails Timberlake Tioga Toca Toledo Bend Torbert Toro
Transylvania Trees Trinity Triumph Trout Tullos Tunica Turkey Creek Turtle
Lake Uncle Sam Uneedus Union Church Union Grove Union Hill Union Springs
Unionville Upland Urania Utility Vacherie Varnado Venice Ventress Verda
Vernon Verret Vick Vidalia Vienna Vieux Carre Ville Platte Vines Loop
Vinton Violet Vivian Vixen Voorhies Vowells Mill Waggaman Wakefield Walker
Wall Lake Wallace Wallace Ridge Walters Ward Warden Wardville Washington
Waterproof Watson Waverly Weil Weldon Welsh West Monroe West Pointe A la
Hache Westlake Weston Westwego Westwood Weyanoke Whatley Landing Wheeling
White Castle White Sulphur Springs Whitehall Whiteville Wilda Wildsville
Willhite Williana Willow Glen Wilshire Park Wilson Wilsona Winnfield
Winnsboro Wisner Womack Woodardville Woodside Woodville Woodworth Wyatt
Youngsville Youree Zachary Zenoria Zimmer Zion Zion City Zwolle
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