Generally, the law defines a divorce or dissolution of marriage as a legal order declaring that the marriage no longer exists. The legal order is issued by the appropriate court. State law governs divorce law and varies by state and country. Typically, the process begins with the 'petitioning party' filing a divorce action in the appropriate state court; the court will subsequently grant the divorce provided all legal requirements are met and supported by the relevant evidence. However, a divorce can become complicated depending on the scope of additional issues to be considered such as child support, child custody and visitation, division of property, and marital debt. Most divorces these days are finalized with a divorce agreement obtained through informal settlement negotiations and mediation, to avoid a court trial which can become expensive to litigate. One is best positioned to handle a divorce with the advice of good legal counsel.

• State-by-State U.S. Family Law Summary Charts
  American Bar Association: information on custody, alimony & divorce.
• U.S. Family Law State-by-State Index
  Legal Information Institute (Cornell): locate U.S. family law by state.
• U.S. Citizens Who Obtain a Divorce Overseas
  U.S. State Dept: procedural information for citizens with an overseas divorce.
• U.S. Citizens Overseas: Family Law & Child Protection Issues
  U.S. State Dept: judicial assistance for citizens overseas.

• Obtaining a Divorce in Canada
  From Canada's Department of Justice
• Canada's Federal Child Support Guidelines
  From Canada's Department of Justice
• Obtaining a Divorce in the U.K. (London)
  Ministry of Justice, Her Majesty’s Courts Service (HMCS)
• Obtaining a Divorce in Mexico
  U.S. Embassy Mexico: contact local Civil Registry Office.

• How should I go about filing for a divorce?
  

  Filing for a divorce is not an easy thing to do. Aside from the emotional impact that comes along with filing for a divorce, there is also the confusing legal process and paperwork.ďż˝ If you need to file for divorce, there are a few key steps you should take to ensure that you ar..