Divorce procedures usually carry a lot of uncertainty in restructuring your life, which is why you should know the difference between temporary and permanent orders and how they might affect you. Both orders pertain to different legal issues in a divorce such as restraining orders, child custody/visitation, financial support, and child support and can greatly impact your current and future circumstances.
Temporary Orders
The key function attached to temporary orders is to bring some form of stability while the divorce process is still ongoing. These court orders are only valid for the duration of the divorce process and are sought when the parties cannot come to an agreement on some aspects of the divorce. A spouse can request a temporary order from the court that is handling the divorce to resolve some of the matters after they have separated. These usually come into play to determine who stays in the marital home, child custody or visitation schedules, and property division. The word “temporary” should, however, not be taken lightly – temporary orders that are already in effect do take substantial work to alter. If spouses are able to come to an amicable agreement, it is possible to go through the divorce process without requesting temporary orders.
Permanent Orders
These orders are the final decision reached in your divorce and will become the framework for life after divorce. It is important to note that temporary orders can influence permanent orders, as they do relate to the process that was taken to reach the final order. Should your case have temporary orders in place for child or spousal support, those orders will serve as a good indication of what you can expect once your divorce has been finalized.
Should you need guidance or assistance on temporary and permanent orders, contact Westover Law Group for a Certified Family Law Specialist to advise you on the way forward.