Race car driver Danica Patrick announced last November that she and her husband were separating. The NASCAR driver posted the announcement on Facebook the day after the couple’s seventh wedding anniversary. Ms. Patrick married Paul Hospenthal in 2005. He is a physical therapist whom Patrick met after sustaining a personal injury.

Prior to the wedding, the couple entered into a prenuptial agreement that apparently resolved many of the property division issues that could have arisen in the divorce. However, the couple acquired marital property during the course of the marriage. The two wanted to settle the divorce amicably, and chose to resolve any of their outstanding legal issues through family law mediation.

While the family law case was not handled in Missouri, our Columbia area readers who have no disagreements about how any family law issues should be resolved in the divorce may decide to end the marriage amicably in an uncontested-type proceeding. In some cases, spouses may be able to simply agree on a divorce settlement. In others, the spouses may choose to use mediation to settle some potential issues.

It is important to note that seeking a divorce creates a legal settlement, and legal and procedural issues in family court need to be properly addressed to ensure that things go smoothly.

A consent decree in the Danica Patrick, Paul Hospenthal divorce reportedly was signed by the family court judge April 15, and filed April 17, finalizing the divorce. The couple’s use of a prenuptial agreement and mediation apparently helped to maintain amicability throughout the family law process.

Sources:

• USA Today, “Danica Patrick single again after divorce finalized,” Jeff Gluck, April 25, 2013
• ESPN, “Danica Patrick’s divorce official,” David Newton, April 25, 2013