If you decide to file for divorce in Essex County, Massachusetts, your experience will depend entirely on the type of marriage dissolution you are going to have and the way you choose to approach it.The simplest option would be filing for uncontested divorce, and using an online service to do it.
Options for Filing in Essex County, Massachusetts
Cost
Timeline
$12,000-$30,000 for each spouse.
Hard to predict. Usually around 1 year.
Around $5,000
A few months on average.
Free forms
When choosing which Essex County divorce papers to file, it is important to consider every aspect of your case. Having children or different types of assets and debts will significantly change the set of documents you will be required to submit. You will find some of the common divorce forms required to file in Essex County, Massachusetts, below.
***Note that these forms are an example of the documents that you will be required to fill out. In general, the court will oblige you to file more than 15 divorce forms depending on the complexity of your case.***
Couples who cannot reach an agreement on financial, property, and child-related aspects of their divorce will have to file for contested marriage dissolution. The only way they can end their marriage is by hiring lawyers and paying them huge sums for advocating on their behalf.
Those who are in agreement, can file for uncontested divorce in Essex County, Massachusetts, either with or without a lawyer. Those who do not want to hire an attorney can save both time and money by getting online divorce in Massachusetts.
Pros of ordering with OnlineDivorcer:
- Affordable prices
- 100% court approval guarantee
- Free filing instructions
- Full package of documents
- Expedited service
- Up-to-date forms
- Flat fee regardless of the number of children
Divorce Courts in Essex County, Massachusetts
Essex Probate and Family Court
Court Address:
45 Congress #170, Salem, Massachusetts 01970
Phone:
978-744-1020
Fax:
978-745-0350
Clerk Hours:
8am-4:30pm
Website:
Parking information:
Parking is available at the courthouse.
Helpful tips
If some of the information seems unclear, it might be necessary to contact the Essex County court clerk. You might want to consider asking about:
- Any additional forms that might be required specifically by this court.
- Filing fees and other court-related expenses that you might have to cover.
- Recent changes or updates that have not yet been reflected on their website.
While court clerks cannot provide legal advice, they can be very helpful when it comes to factual questions about court procedures and processes.
Essex County Notaries
Comparing fees, locations, and availability of notaries in Essex County, Massachusetts, as well as how well they answered your questions will help you make an informed decision and choose the most suitable notary for your situation. Here is the list of county notaries in the area:
Monique Cropper
Lawrence, MA
Phone: 978-701-1664
John King
Topsfield, MA
Phone: 508-641-5543
Jerome Thomas
Lynn, MA
Phone: 978-219-9488 · Cell: 978-219-9488
Sharon Munro
Haverhill, MA
Phone: 978-857-6618
Helpful tips
- Before settling on a specific notary in Essex County, consider contacting them to inquire about the price of their services and ask if any additional documents are needed
- Fill out all the necessary fields in the forms beforehand. You will not be able to change or add new information to the papers after they are notarized.
- Sign the documents in front of a notary public. As notaries have legal liability to confirm the validity of your signature, you can put it down on the form only in their presence.
- Bring an ID or a driver’s license for verification purposes. Make sure that the form of identification you are carrying has your signature on it so thata notary can compare it with the one you are going to put on the paperwork.
Child Support Services
Please note that this section will only be useful for spouses filing for divorce with children in Massachusetts.
Feel free to use the link provided on the page to review information regarding Massachusetts child support guidelines and payments. You are also welcome to use the contact information of the child support division if you have any specific inquiries. Before making a call, please note that you will find answers to the most common questions on their website, no matter if you are the one who will be receiving or paying child support in Essex County.
County name: Worcester County
Phone: 800-332-2733
Address: Central Regional Office
67 Millbrook St., Suite 300
Worcester, MA 01606-2844
Website: https://www.mass.gov/orgs/child-support-enforcement-division
