There are many reasons why it is worth the time and effort to execute a Marital Settlement Agreement in even the most simple, uncontested divorce or legal separation proceedings. They are:
• Obtaining a final Judgment of Dissolution is a much easier process when the parties have entered into a formal Marital Settlement Agreement. The court paperwork is less voluminous because it is not necessary to complete any and/or all of the eleven (11) “attachment to Judgment” forms otherwise required by the court in default matters resolved without an agreement.
• With a Marital Settlement Agreement, the parties can address certain issues with more detail, depth and flexibility than one can do in a Judgment with no Marital Settlement Agreement.
• With a Marital Settlement Agreement, there is generally no required court hearing. The Marital Settlement Agreement becomes the core of the Judgment. This means that the parties get to decide every aspect of their marital issues in their own language rather than having a Judge decide these issues.