NH Law About ...: Divorce: Read About The Law ...

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Circuit Court. Family Division. How to File a Divorce Petition
Circuit Court. Family Division. Divorce/Parenting
'The Family Division handles cases involving divorce. It also handles parenting actions between unmarried persons. Parenting actions used to be called "custody" or "visitation" actions.'
Circuit Court. Family Division. Mediation
'When appropriate, mediation can ease the difficulty of the court process by giving you and your co-parent/former partner a chance to resolve matters through a focused discussion led by a mediator. Mediation gives you the opportunity to discuss the issues that are important to you.'
New Hampshire Legal Aid. Divorce, Separation & Annulment
Filing for divorce in New Hampshire – Basics of NH divorce law – Grandparents' visitation rights in a divorce.

Although divorce is usually a state matter, there are aspects that are affected by federal law. These Congressional Research Service Reports and federal websites discuss some of those issues.

Congressional Research Service. Family Law: Congress’s Authority to Legislate on Domestic Relations Questions. 2012
Congressional Research Service. Military Benefits for Former Spouses: Legislation and Policy Issues. 2018
Congressional Research Service. Retirement and Survivor Annuities for Former Spouses of Federal Employees. 2014
United States. Office of Personnel Management
The Handbook for Attorneys, available on this website, contains the laws and regulations applicable to court orders in divorces and legal separations, and provides the model language accepted by OPM.
IRS. Publication 504 (2021), Divorced or Separated Individuals
Defense Finance and Accounting Service. FAQ
'The DFAS Garnishment Law Directorate is a consolidated court order processing operation for all of DoD and ePayroll civilian populations paid by DFAS. The mission of this office is to process all court orders served on DFAS and its customers. These orders can be for child support, alimony, commercial debt, divisions of military retired pay, former spouse survivor benefit deemed elections, chapter 7 and chapter 13 personal bankruptcy. This office is the authorized agent for receipt of service of process for these court orders.'

Print

Many of these print publications have form examples. All are available at the Law Library or can be borrowed.

A Practical Guide to Divorce in New Hampshire by editor, Michael Alfano ; judges, Robert J. Foley [and others] ; authors, Michael Alfano [and others].
Call Number: KFN1300 .P73
Publication Date: 2021
'In the State of New Hampshire, divorce is completely controlled by statute. Although the individual judges or masters have discretion that they can apply, they cannot obtain jurisdiction unless it is authorized by the statute. In the State of New Hampshire, jurisdiction of the court to grant a divorce is controlled by N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 458:4.' (§ 2.9, Jurisdiction.)
Basic Family Law by New Hampshire Bar Association
Call Number: KFN1294.A75 B37 2017
Publication Date: 2017
'Mediation has become widely regarded as an effective alternative in resolving the issues presented by divorce or civil union dissolution. Mediation allows the parties to become directly involved in the outcome of their case. Mediation seeks to empower the individuals and to place more control with the parties, rather than with the court.' (p. 63)
Top Challenges in Family Law
Call Number: KFN1300.A75 T67 2019
Publication Date: 2019
'In short term marriages where the parties have not commingled assets, the property division portion of a divorce can be a lot more straight forward. Each party could feasibly keep the assets that are in their own respective names and move forward. However, the longer parties are married, the more likely their assets are commingled and the more complicated the division of property is likely to be.' (p. 17)
Advanced Issues in Family and Divorce Law
Call Number: KFN1294.A75 A394 2016
Publication Date: 2016
Legal update : a year in review / submitted by Christine A. Gordon -- Advanced discovery and evidence in divorce / submitted by Patrick J. Devine -- Ethics in family law / submitted by Meegan C. Reis -- Complex assets : valuation and division / submitted by Margaret R. Kerouac -- Tax issues in divorce / submitted by Kevin C. Kennedy -- Advanced custody issues / submitted by Courtney Curran Vore -- Unmarried couples, domestic partnerships, same-sex marriage / submitted by John A. M. Hinsman -- Advanced parenting/adoption issues / submitted by Charles L. Greenhalgh -- Immigration issues in family law / submitted by Tracey Goyette Cote and Michelle Radie-Coffin -- Mental health issues in family law / submitted by Kathryn C. Mazurek.
Family Law by Charles G. Douglas III
Call Number: KFN1280 .N48
ISBN: 9780769851808
Publication Date: 2014
'In some actions, the parties might plead two different grounds for divorce or a cross-petition might allege a fault ground to a no-fault petition, or vice versa. … A divorce cannot be granted on both fault and no-fault grounds. Where both fault and no-fault grounds are pleaded, a divorce may be granted only on either the fault or no-fault ground.' See § 13.31 Fault and No-Fault
Small Business and Divorce by New Hampshire Bar Association
Call Number: KFN1434.A75 S632 2016
Publication Date: 2016
Defining "gross income" for business owners under RSA 458-C / William F. Gramer -- Discovery issues / Margaret R. Kerouac -- Business valuations / William E. Howell, Cyndi J. Livermore.
Tax Issues in Divorce : and We Will Still Talk About Alimony by New Hampshire Bar Association
Call Number: KFN1300.A75 T39 2018
Publication Date: 2018
Highlights of the new NH alimony law / James V. Ferro, Jr. -- The practical application of the 2018 tax law changes / Jill B. Boynton -- Ethical considerations with experts / Elizabeth S. LaRochelle -- 2018-2019 general federal tax updates and divorce taxation considerations / Michelle Goldsmith -- New court forms & tax forms / Pamela A. Peterson -- Tax aspects of property divisions / Richard J. Maloney.

New Hampshire Forms

For court forms use the links below. For more examples of forms used in divorces, check the New Hampshire print resources listed below.

Circuit Court. Family Division. Divorce/Parenting Forms

Please remember that this guide is for information purposes only and is not comprehensive.
It is intended as a starting point for research, to illustrate the various sources of the law, and to provide guidance in their use.
NH Law About ... is not a substitute for the services of an attorney.