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Divorce/Dissolution
To file for divorce in Hennepin County:
- One or both parties must have lived in Minnesota for at least the preceding six months AND
- One or both parties currently lives in Hennepin County.
Overview:
A divorce is the termination of the marital relationship between a husband and wife. A decree of dissolution completely terminates the marital status of both parties. A dissolution of a marriage shall be granted by a county or district court when the court finds that there has been an irretrievable breakdown of the marriage relationship.
Parties who have a child or children and have unresolved custody or visitation issues are required to attend a mandatory divorce education program. This education program is a prerequisite to receiving a divorce decree.
Types of Divorce:
- Summary Dissolution can be used when the marriage is less than eight years, there are no children of the parties born to or adopted before or during the marriage, neither party owns real-estate, and the value of things owned and the debts owed are small.
- Divorce without children is when there are no children under 18 born to or adopted by the parties before or during the marriage.
- Divorce with children is when a child under 18 is born or adopted during the marriage, the wife is currently pregnant or the wife is currently pregnant and the husband is not the biological father.