In the spring of 2014, actress Gwyneth Paltrow and her rock star husband Chris Martin of the British band Coldplay announced that after just more than a decade of marriage, they were undergoing a “conscious uncoupling.”

Boy, that sure does sound fancy.

While I don’t recall ever seeing “conscious uncoupling” listed in Mississippi’s divorce laws, I suppose that if I think about what that term could mean, it’s really not that far removed from simply two parties coming to terms on a divorce agreement.

And that I can understand.

In the state of Mississippi, one party cannot be awarded a divorce hearing if the other party does not want the divorce and no cause exists. You either have to agree to the divorce or there must exist a cause such as adultery, irreconcilable differences or habitual cruelment.

Every divorce case that is filed in the state of Mississippi must declare the grounds in which the divorce is to be granted. The grounds for your divorce must be substantiated with evidence or with sworn testimony otherwise the court may dismiss the case.

When you are petitioning the court for a divorce, or agreeing to a divorce, it is vital that you completely understand the grounds and any potential legal repercussions. With my help, you’ll never be in the dark regarding your case.

If you and your partner have made the efforts you feel reasonable and appropriate to save your marriage and those efforts haven’t worked, contact me and the Bosserman Law team so that we can discuss your situation and determine how to best proceed in a manner that will best protect your assets and far more importantly, protect your access to your kids.

I promise, you won’t hear “conscious uncoupling” a single time during our meeting.