Divorce in Alaska

If you are like most people, your decision to get a divorce came after much stress and deliberation. Now at the point where you want to end your marriage, you want to find the fastest and easiest way to get divorced. Fortunately, Alaska makes ending your marriage relatively straightforward, especially if you meet the requirements for an uncontested divorce – one where you and your spouse agree on things like property division and child custody (if you have children). You only need to complete the required forms and file them with the family court clerk to get started. If you and your spouse are not in agreement on important divorce-related issues, you may consider a mediated divorce. 

Fortunately, if you are in agreement, Alaska online divorce papers from CompleteCase.com can make the process even easier. The service will help you choose which online divorce forms are right for your situation and enable you to move forward quickly, and feel confident that you have completed all the required documents correctly.

The following will help you to better understand divorce in the state of Alaska, and how you can begin to move forward with your own divorce online..

Alaska Divorce Facts

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the divorce rate in Alaska in 2011 was 4.8 for every 1,000 residents. Alaska's divorce rate is higher than many states, but it is certainly not the highest.

Alaska requires that you be a resident of Alaska for you to file for divorce. As long as you are in the state and you intend to remain there, you can consider yourself a resident for the divorce. You can also file for divorce in the Alaska if your spouse is a resident, even if you are not.

Alaska is what is referred to as a “mixed state”, meaning it accepts both no-fault and fault-based divorce. In a no-fault divorce, you only need to indicate that you and your spouse have “irreconcilable differences”. This is a preferred type of divorce, as it is often faster and less costly than filing a fault-based divorce.  In a fault-based divorce, you must place the fault for the divorce on one party using grounds (such as adultery) that are accepted by the state.

Alaska Divorce Papers and Forms

The forms required to file your divorce will vary depending on your individual circumstances – such as if you and your spouse have minor children – and may also vary depending on the court where you file. It is always advisable to contact the local family court before filing, to make sure you are completing all the necessary documents.

Alaska provides two main options for ending your marriage - “dissolution” and “divorce”. For dissolution, Alaska requires that you and your spouse have come to an agreement about the need to divorce, how you will divide your property and what you will do with your children. Dissolution is a faster and less expensive method than divorce. If you and your spouse do not agree on any of these issues and need to resolve them in court, you will need go through the divorce process.

The Alaska Courts’ website has a Self-Help Center for divorce, where you can read about the process of divorce in the state and find many forms for filing. You will need to read through all the information on the site that pertains to you. The more you know about divorce in your state, the better you will be able to look after your interests during the divorce process.

If you find all of the options available to you overwhelming, it is okay. Unless you have a legal background, the legal terms and the different options for divorce papers can be confusing. Many couples find it helpful to have their online divorce forms prepared by CompleteCase.com. The service will identify the correct divorce forms and help you complete the forms quickly and accurately. Using CompleteCase.com’s service will also help you avoid any unnecessary costs or delays in your process due to issues with your divorce papers.

However you complete your divorce forms, avoid signing them until you are in the presence of a notary. Most courts will provide a notary service, but it is best to verify this before you go to the court.

How to File Divorce Papers in Alaska

When you have completed your online divorce documents for Alaska, print the originals and make at least two copies of all forms. You will need to file the original with the court clerk, while keeping one set of copies for your records, and serving the other set to your spouse. Call the divorce court where you will be filing before you go to the court to verify that you are bringing everything you need, including a form of payment accepted by the court. If needed,

Alaska also allows your divorce papers by mail. If you choose to file your paperwork by mail, send all signed and notarized documents to the court, along with the required payment. Further, when mailing, it is advised to add a return receipt service to receive confirmation after the documents are received by the court.

How to Serve Divorce Papers in Alaska

You will need to serve copies of the divorce paperwork to your spouse as soon as you file. Alaska allows you to either hand deliver the documents, hire a private process server t, or send by mail. The court will need to proof that the papers were served to complete the filing, so you will need to obtain a signed acknowledgment of receipt if you hand deliver, a form from the private process server verifying delivery, or a return receipt through registered mail.

The next step next will depend on whether you and your spouse are in agreement about the divorce and its terms. If you agree on everything, the divorce or dissolution will move along fairly quickly. If you are not in agreement, you will need to go to trial to argue your case before the judge. If this is the situation you are in, the divorce may take some time to complete.