Getting a divorce in Omaha

Fire stations are available as emergency ‘safe houses’

m

Please read our two-part overview of Nebraska divorce law, “Divorce in Nebraska, Part 1” and “Divorce in Georgia, Part 2” for an overview of the applicable statutes and suggestions about counseling and domestic violence.

But do please return for information about Omaha and Douglas County–by the way, those links should both open in new windows or tabs, depending on your browser and individual settings.

Counseling for grief; addressing domestic violence

In Part 1, we address the obvious question of retaining an attorney, plus the perhaps not-so-obvious idea of budgeting for professional counseling; divorce can be one of the most emotionally traumatic experiences that any couple or family undergoes. Perhaps more urgently important, we also provide links to statewide resources for help with domestic violence: Legal authorities and family-law counselors advise all families to deal with domestic violence issues, first and foremost , regardless of where or what any spouse is or is considering in the complex matrix of ending a marriage. Part 1 also discusses:

where to file

residency requirements, and

filing pro se versus retaining an experienced, trained divorce attorney.

In Part 2, we go over more generic considerations: “simple” divorce (no children, no property disputes), grounds for divorce, legal separation-even the unlikely odds of effecting an annulment.

Local DV resources

The Omaha metropolitan area includes several resources that can help with domestic violence:

Domestic Violence Coordinating Council (DVCC);

YWCA domestic violence page, with statistics showing men are victims, too, in about 5 % of cases and that heterosexual and homosexual domestic violence statistics are about the same;

Omaha Police Department’s DV page (one of the better police department’s pages we’ve seen–for instance, they include the following urgent-situation information: “Also, if you are being intimidated, harassed, or stalked by the person accused of a crime against you, contact ‘911’ immediately. In addition, all City of Omaha fire stations are available as ‘safe houses’ for immediate protection prior to police arrival. Your safety is of the utmost importance to us.”);

The Shelter, via Catholic Charities;

Domestic Violence Community Outreach (contact list for the area).

District Court for Douglas County

Divorce (“dissolution of marriage”) in Douglas County is handled by the 4th Judicial District Court; its “Family and Juvenile” page can be found here. Its FAQ page includes answers about filing fees ($157 for divorce) and several about protective orders.

Hiring an attorney

As mentioned in the state overview posts, the courts strongly advise you to hire an attorney, especially if children or significant assets are involved. Furthermore, many legal experts agree that, at the very least, even in an uncontested divorce the plaintiff/Petitioner should have an attorney to ensure the filing is legal and the decree enforceable.

Free evaluation

We can help. If you’re ready to begin the search for a compatible, well trained, experienced divorce attorney, you can start with our free case evaluation. If you need more information, please browse our site, using the tabs at the top of the page.