Divorce Decree in New Hampshire

In New Hampshire, as in other States, parties wishing to be divorced need to obtain approval from the Court. Courts issue a Decree of Divorce which is a formal Court Order for divorce. As part of divorce proceedings, the Court also issues others Orders which, if applicable, may include a Final Decree, Uniform Support Order, Qualified Domestic Relations Order and a Final Parenting Plan.

All of these different terms can be very confusing, as so many of them sound similar. Each of them has a critical role to the divorce, and it is important to have an attorney who will explain them fully and not leave you with any questions.

The Decree of Divorce is typically a one page document which includes, among other things, the name of the Court issuing the Decree, the names of the parties, the reason for divorce, whether the divorce was resolve by agreement of the parties or after a trial, and the date the divorce occurred.

The Decree of Divorce is a very important document, and until it is issued the parties are still married and the divorce is not complete. In short, a Decree of Divorce is the final ruling and formal Order by the Court terminating the marriage.

The Decree of Divorce should not be confused with a Final Decree. A Final Decree is a Court Order which typically is issued at the same time as the Decree of Divorce. However, the Final Decree is a much more detailed Court Order which addresses the division of the party’s assets and debts, alimony, health insurance, and life insurance. Every Final Decree is different and is tailored by the Court to address the specific assets, debts and other needs of the parties. Just like the Decree of Divorce, the Final Decree also includes the name of the Court issuing the Decree, the names of the parties, and whether the Final Decree was reached by agreement of the parties or after a trial.