(Visual: A thin purple line stretches horizontally across the screen. A computer screen pops up with a media player on it showing a video in progress with a progress bar to depict the movement of the content. On the screen, two people face one another. The person on the left wears a maroon shirt with black pants and has their hand placed on their hip. The person on the right wears an orange T-shirt with blue pants. Their arms are folded across their chest. A red dot appears between them. It extends horizontally out from the center in both directions to create a line with an arrow at each end. It pushes the people apart. A tear-away calendar that reads "6 Months" on its top page rises from the line.)

Female Narrator: In our first video about getting a divorce in Vermont, you learned about the first two steps: knowing your rights and what’s required--

(Visual: A purple rectangle moves across the screen and wipes the images of the calendar and red line. They are replaced by three circles in an inverted triangle formation above and between the people. In the circles: two young people, dollar bills fanned out with coins beneath them, and the brown side-split style house. The person in maroon gestures as though speaking; the person in orange nods with a hand on their chin as though listening.)

Female Narrator:--as well as talking to your spouse about issues like your children and your property.

(Visual: The computer screen sinks beneath the line, and a computer window pops up in its place. Inside the computer window, a purple list headed by vtlawhelp.org, and beneath the text, a list of steps appears - Step 1, Step 2, Step 3, Step 4, Step 5, Step 6. A red arrow moves down the list of steps, and highlights each step in a darker shade of purple as it descends.)

Female Narrator: Find a list of issues to talk about, other videos, and many more details in the Divorce Roadmap on our website at vtlawhelp.org. 

(Visual: The computer window shifts slightly right and a scroll unfurls on the left. Its bottom runs out of sight beneath the purple line. A purple pen bounces up from beneath the line.)

Female Narrator: Now, you’re ready for the paperwork.

(Visual: The images slide off to the left. The thin purple line stretches horizontally across the screen from the right. Text that reads, "Step 3" appears above it and text that reads, "Complete the forms" appears below.

Female Narrator: Step 3: Complete the forms.

(Visual: The line lowers and wipes the text. The person in the maroon shirt with their hand on their hip and the person in the orange T-shirt with their arms folded pop up on the left and right respectively. Between them, the words, "Stipulated Divorce," appear in purple lettering. The person in maroon lets the arm on their hip hang.)

Female Narrator: Figure out if you will have a “stipulated divorce”, where you and your spouse agree on important issues about your children and property,"

(Visual: Additional text that reads "You and your spouse agree on important issues," between the people, with the word "agree" bolded.)

Female Narrator:--or a “contested divorce”, where you don’t agree on one or more of these things. 

(Visual: Beneath the previous text, the words "Contested Divorce," appear in purple lettering, with additional text that reads, "You don’t agree," with the word "don't" bolded.)

Female Narrator: Each kind of divorce requires different forms. If you’re the one starting the divorce process, you are called the “Plaintiff” on all forms--

(Visual: The word "Plaintiff" appears beneath the purple line, under the person in the maroon shirt.)

Female Narrator:--and your spouse is called the “Defendant”.

(Visual: The person in the orange T-shirt unfolds their arms. The word "Defendant" appears beneath him.)

Female Narrator: Filling out forms can take some time.

(Visual: The people vanish. A computer window pops up in their place. It is headed by the URL vtlawhelp.org in purple and features the vertical list of six steps. A red arrow moves down the list of steps, and highlights each step in a darker shade of purple as it descends.)

Female Narrator: Be sure to follow the detailed steps in our Divorce Roadmap at vtlawhelp.org.

(Visual: The computer screen and phone slide out to the left. The thin purple line stretches horizontally across the screen from the right. Text that reads, "Step 4" appears above it and text that reads, "File and serve the forms".)

Female Narrator: Step 4: File and serve the forms

(Visual: The line lowers and wipes the text. A manilla envelope pops up from the line and moves to the left. A Roman-style courthouse, white, with six columns, and a peaked roof, pops up on the right.)

Female Narrator: When you are done with your forms, file them with your local family court.

(Visual: A blue mailbox with a horizontal red stripe on its side pops up on the far left of the purple line and the envelope jumps into it.)

Female Narrator: Filing means you send or bring them to the court.

(Visual: The mailbox lowers beneath the line, the courthouse shifts left and the person in the maroon shirt pops up on the right. They hold an envelope. The images sink beneath the line and a closed, brown door drops down from above and comes to rest on the purple line.)

Female Narrator: You also need to “serve” or deliver the forms to your spouse--

(Visual: A disembodied hand holding a manilla envelope sweeps in on the right and stops in front of the door.)

Female Narrator:--in a way that ensures they are received. Follow the instructions in our Divorce Roadmap, depending on your situation.

(Visual: The door and hand lower beneath the line and a computer screen depicting a banking website rises from it. The screen is headed by the word "Bank Account" in purple lettering inside a yellow bar that runs the length of the screen. Below it, the words, "Available Funds." Beneath the phrase, a green oblong bar. Red runs over the green from the right, and leaves a small tip of green on the far left side of the bar.)

Female Narrator: If you can’t afford the filing and service fees, you can apply to have the court waive the fees.

(Visual: The images slide out to the left. The thin purple line stretches horizontally across the screen from the right. Text that reads, "Step 5" appears above it and text that reads, "Go to meetings and courses".)

Female Narrator: Step 5: Go to meetings and courses.

(Visual: The line lowers and wipes the text away. A scroll unfurls and its bottom curls on the purple line. It is headed by the word, "Divorce" and features several, purple, horizontal lines that run all the way down it, representing text.)

Female Narrator: A Vermont divorce can include a number of steps, such as:

(Visual: The scroll shifts to the left and purple text presented as bullets populate as a vertical list. They appear verbatim as they are read.)

Female Narrator: An interim domestic order;

A case manager conference;

Required courses;

Mediation;

Parent coordination;

Temporary orders;

Hearings.

Your divorce may include some or all of these things. 

(Visual: The document and adjacent text lower beneath the purple line. A computer window pops up in their place. It is headed by the URL vtlawhelp.org in purple, and features the vertical list of six steps. A red arrow moves down the list of steps, and highlights each step in a darker shade of purple as it descends.)

Female Narrator: Our Divorce Roadmap explains each type of hearing or meeting you may have.

(Visual: The computer window falls beneath the line and a wall calendar, heading by "Meetings" in white letters in a purple bar that stretches its width, pops up in its place. It features grey boxes that depict the days during that time period.)

Female Narrator: Be on time for all appointments and meetings.

(Visual: Exclamation points inside of red hexagons pop onto three different boxes on the grid to portray scheduled appointments.)

Female Narrator: Let the court know if you have an emergency and need to "continue"--

(Visual: The text "Continue-equals-Reschedule" appears beneath the calendar, and one of the exclamation points moves to a different box on the grid further along in the same week.)

Female Narrator:--or reschedule, a hearing or meeting.

(Visual: The calendar shifts to the left and a young person pops out of it. They stand to the right and wear a red cap, light green shirt and black shorts.)

Female Narrator: If you have children, make sure someone can watch them while you go to court appointments.

(Visual: The calendar and young person slide out to the left. The thin purple line stretches horizontally across the screen from the right. Text that reads, "Step 6" appears above it and text that reads, "Go to the final hearing and get a divorce order," appears below.)

Female Narrator: Step 6: Go to the final hearing and get a divorce order. 

(Visual: The line lowers and wipes the text. The white, six-columned courthouse pops up above it.)

Female Narrator: Your divorce will become final after you go to your final hearing in front of a judge.

(Visual: The person in the maroon shirt and the person in the orange T-shirt pop up on either side of the courthouse. The person in the orange has their hand on their hip.)

Female Narrator: If you and your spouse came to an agreement about your children, money, and property--

(Visual: The circles that enclose the young people, dollar bills fanned out with coins beneath them, and the brown side-split style house pop up in an arc, in turn, from left to right, over the peaked roof of the courthouse.)

Female Narrator:--the judge will ask you some basic questions at the hearing. This is called an “uncontested hearing”--

(Visual: Text in purple that reads, "Uncontested Hearing," appears beneath the purple line.)

Female Narrator:--and can be very short.

(Visual: A scroll unfurls and drapes over the courthouse. It is headed with the word "Agreement" and its bottom curls on the purple line.)

Female Narrator: The hearing is just to make sure you both understand the agreement and that it is fair to you and your children. If you and your spouse don’t agree on one or more issues--

(Visual: The scroll retracts back over the courthouse. The person in the orange T-shirt folds their arms. The text vanishes.)

Female Narrator:--you will have a “contested hearing.”

(Visual: The person in maroon folds their arms as well. Text that reads "Contested Hearing" appears beneath the purple line.)

Female Narrator: The judge will decide on any issues you don’t agree on.

(Visual: All of the images drop down into the purple line. A smartphone rises up from it with its number pad open on its face. The number 1-800-889-2047 appears above the number pad, as though typed in.)

Female Narrator: Contact Legal Services Vermont if you know or think you will have a contested hearing. We can give you quick advice and, in some cases, refer you to a lawyer for more help.

(Visual: The smartphone slides off to the left. The thin, purple line stretches horizontally across the screen from the right.)

Female Narrator: After your hearing, the judge will issue a final divorce order.

(Visual: A manilla envelope rises from the purple line. It opens, and a paper unfurls out from inside like a scroll. It is headed in purple with the term "Final Order.")

Female Narrator: Your divorce becomes final 90 days after the judge issues the order.

(Visual: The order shifts to the left and a tear-away calendar with "1" on its top page rises from the line. The pages of the calendar tear off quickly and show the numbers "18", "36", "54", "72" and finally "90 days", then stop.)

Female Narrator: With a stipulated divorce, you may waive the 90 days.

(Visual: The calendar and order sink beneath the purple line. The courthouse rises up from the line and a scroll unfurls and drapes over it. It is headed with the word "Motion" and its bottom curls on the purple line.)

Female Narrator: Sometimes, you may need to file a motion with the court after the hearing. A motion is like a complaint or request.

(Visual: Text that reads "Motion-equals-request" appears beneath the purple line. The person in the maroon shirt and the person in the orange T-shirt pop up from the line on either side of the courthouse. A young person stands to the left of the person in the maroon shirt. They wear a red cap and light green shirt.)

Female Narrator: For example, maybe your ex-spouse isn’t following the visitation schedule for your kids or paying the mortgage bill they agreed to pay.

(Visual: The brown side-split style house and dollar bills fanned out with coins beneath them appear in circles above the courthouse. The words "Motion to Enforce" appear beneath the purple line.)

Female Narrator: Or, you might want to change the child support, custody, or visitation decisions in your divorce order.

(Visual: The previous text vanishes and is replaced by the words "Motion to Modify" in purple. Both people fold their arms.)

Female Narrator: If you can’t work it out with your spouse, you may need to file a motion. If you need help--

(Visual: The images slide off to the left. A new purple line stretches horizontally from the right and rests at the center. The logo for Legal Services Vermont and text "Working Together for Justice" appear atop the line and its contact info below it.)

Female Narrator:--contact your local family court or Legal Services Vermont.

TEXT: Legal Services Vermont
Working together for justice
1-800-889-2047
vtlawhelp.org

Music ends

End of transcript.

Return to page with video.