It is done.

The divorce between Sandra Bullock and Jesse James is final. She will be starting a new life as a single mother, after the pair adopted a 3½-month-old baby boy Louis Bardo Bullock.

Documents were signed and the pair filed papers under seal in Texas to finalize their divorce after their nearly five-year marriage, TMZ reports.

Divorce can be complicated legal process, and specific steps can vary from state to state. Below is divorce timeline that gives a general picture of how the average divorce proceeds:

  • To start off the divorce, one of the spouses gets a lawyer, who writes up a petition that says why the spouse wants a divorce and how he or she wants to settle financial, custody, and other issues.
  • The lawyer files the petition or complaint with the court.
  • The lawyer or the court makes sure that the petition/complaint is served on the other spouse, together with a summons that requires that spouse’s response.
  • The served spouse has to answer within a certain time.
  • The couple exchanges documents and information on issues such as property and income to help the court make a decision.
  • Sometimes, the couple can voluntarily resolve all their issues through mediation  or settlement.
  • If a settlement is reached, the settlement agreement is shown to a judge at an informal hearing.
  • If the judge approves the agreement, he or she gives the couple a divorce decree that shows what they agreed to.
  • At trial, attorneys present evidence and arguments for each side, and the judge decides the unresolved issues and then grants the divorce.
  • Either or both spouses can appeal a judge’s decision to a higher court. But it’s unusual for an appeals court to overturn a judge’s decision.

Related Resources:

  • Divorce Glossary (FindLaw)
  • Sandra Bullock Files for Divorce from Jesse James (FindLaw’s Celebrity Justice Blog)
  • If Sandra Bullock Divorces Jesse James, What Rights or Privileges Will She Have… (FindLaw’s Writ)
  • Questions to Ask During Divorce (provided by Tamara K. Holden PA)
  • Mediation and Collaborative Divorce (provided by Zaslow & Sandler, LLC)

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