If you are staring down a divorce, a fight over your kids, or a relief-from-abuse hearing in a Vermont Family Division courtroom, the rules here are not the rules you read about online for other states. Vermont has a six-month separation ground, a 90-day nisi wait, an all-property system, and elected side judges who may decide your facts. You do not have to figure this out alone at 2 a.m. Call 1-844-690-0555, free and 24/7, and get clear legal information about exactly what you are facing in Vermont.
Free legal information. Not legal advice. Available 24/7 across Vermont.
Right now, do three things. First, write down the date you and your spouse started living separate and apart, even under the same roof, because Vermont's most common divorce ground needs six consecutive months. Second, if you are in danger, call 911, then ask the Family Division for an emergency relief-from-abuse order, which a judge can grant the same day without notice to the other person. Third, before you sign anything, file anything, or agree to a parenting schedule, call 1-844-690-0555 for free. Our AI legal assistant is trained on Vermont's Title 15 and federal law and can walk you through your next step in plain English, in your language, with no web form and no income test. This is legal information, not legal advice, and the call creates no attorney-client relationship.
Two things blindside people in Vermont family court. First, the usual path to divorce is not proving who did wrong, it is simply living separate and apart for six consecutive months with no real chance of reconciliation, then waiting out a 90-day nisi period before it is truly final. Second, when you walk into the Family Division, the person weighing the facts of your case may not be a lawyer at all, but one of two elected Assistant Judges, the 'side judges,' a tradition almost unique to Vermont. Knowing this in advance changes how you prepare, what you document, and what you say in the room. Call 1-844-690-0555 free and we will explain exactly how it applies to you, as information, not advice.
These Vermont organizations offer free or low-cost help with family law matters like divorce, custody and abuse orders. All are independent of Legal Hotline.
Do I need to prove my spouse did something wrong to get divorced in Vermont?
No. The ground used in the great majority of Vermont divorces, 15 V.S.A. § 551(7), is no-fault: you and your spouse lived separate and apart for six consecutive months with no reasonable chance of reconciliation. You do not have to prove adultery, cruelty or anything else. To understand whether your six months counts, call 1-844-690-0555 free, 24/7.
Can I meet the six-month separation if we still live in the same house?
Possibly. Vermont courts recognize that spouses can live 'separate and apart' under one roof if they have truly stopped functioning as a married couple. It is fact-specific, so what you document matters. Call 1-844-690-0555 and we will explain, as legal information not advice, how Vermont applies the six-month rule to your situation.
Why isn't my Vermont divorce final when the judge signs it?
Because of the nisi rule in 15 V.S.A. § 554. A Vermont divorce decree is a 'decree nisi' that becomes absolute only after 90 days, and you cannot remarry during that window. For a clear timeline of what happens between filing and final, call 1-844-690-0555 free and 24/7.
Is the property I owned before marriage safe in a Vermont divorce?
Not automatically. Vermont is an all-property state under 15 V.S.A. § 751, so the court can divide any asset either spouse owns, however and whenever acquired, including premarital property, gifts and inheritances. The judge aims for a fair, not necessarily equal, result. To understand how § 751 might apply to your assets, call 1-844-690-0555.
How does Vermont decide child custody?
Vermont calls it 'parental rights and responsibilities' (PR&R) under 15 V.S.A. § 665, divided into legal PR&R (major decisions) and physical PR&R (daily care). The judge follows the best interests of the child across nine listed factors. A court cannot order shared PR&R unless both parents agree. For help understanding the factors, call 1-844-690-0555 free.
Can a Vermont judge force shared 50/50 custody on us?
No. Under 15 V.S.A. § 665, a Vermont court cannot order parents to share legal or physical responsibilities unless both parents agree to it. If you cannot agree, the judge must award primary or sole PR&R to one parent. To understand what that could mean for your family, call 1-844-690-0555, 24/7.
How is child support calculated in Vermont?
Vermont uses an income-shares model under 15 V.S.A. § 656: both parents' available incomes are combined and the obligation is split in proportion to each parent's share, using state guideline tables maintained by the Office of Child Support. Low-income payors get a self-support reserve. For a plain-English walkthrough, call 1-844-690-0555 free.
Can I get spousal support (alimony) in Vermont?
Maybe. Under 15 V.S.A. § 752 a Vermont court can order rehabilitative or long-term maintenance if you lack enough income or property for your reasonable needs and cannot support yourself at the marital standard of living. The judge weighs factors like marriage length, age, health and earning capacity. Call 1-844-690-0555 to talk it through.
How fast can I get a protective order in Vermont if I'm in danger?
Fast. Under 15 V.S.A. § 1104 a Family Division judge can issue an emergency relief-from-abuse order the same day, without notice to the other person, when there is danger, and a full hearing must follow within 14 days. If you are in immediate danger call 911, then call 1-844-690-0555 to understand the process, free and 24/7.
Who actually decides my case in Vermont family court?
It may not be only a lawyer-judge. In the Family Division, Vermont's elected Assistant Judges, the 'side judges,' can sit alongside the presiding judge and help decide the facts, a tradition almost unique to Vermont. Knowing this changes how you prepare. Call 1-844-690-0555 free and we will explain what to expect.
How long do I have to live in Vermont before I can divorce here?
Under 15 V.S.A. § 592, one party must have lived in Vermont for at least six months to file, and the court cannot grant a final decree until a party has lived here a full year before the final hearing. To check whether you meet the residency rule, call 1-844-690-0555, free and 24/7.
Is Legal Hotline a law firm that will represent me?
No. Legal Hotline is not a law firm and not a public defender, and we give legal information, not legal advice. Calling 1-844-690-0555 creates no attorney-client relationship. If you want representation, we can help you arrange a paid consultation with a Vermont-licensed family law attorney.
We connect Vermonters facing divorce, custody and abuse-order cases with licensed local family lawyers. If you practice family law in Vermont and want to receive matched client referrals, join our network. This strip is for attorneys only; if you need help with your own family matter, call 1-844-690-0555.
General legal information, not legal advice. We research every page from primary sources — legislation, the courts, and government legal-aid bodies — and check it for accuracy. Spotted something out of date? Tell us at admin@platfirm.ai.
The six-month rule, the 90-day nisi wait, the all-property split and the side judges all shape what happens next in your case. Get clear, Vermont-specific legal information before your court date, free, 24/7, in your language, with no income test and no web form. Call 1-844-690-0555 now and know exactly where you stand. This is legal information, not legal advice, and creates no attorney-client relationship.
Free legal information. Not legal advice.