An uncontested divorce is one in which you and your spouse reach an agreement on all the terms of your divorce settlement. During the settlement process, though, there are many issues that may arise. You will have to make some very important decisions that will affect you for the rest of your life. This can add more stress to an already stressful situation and end up causing you to be unable to reach an agreement. When this happens, you have a contested divorce.
Marriage.com explains that while it is easier than ever to get a divorce these days, there are many times when you may end up in a contested divorce. What might lead to a contested divorce is anything you cannot agree upon with your spouse. Since you will have to make many decisions, there is always the potential that you will not be able to negotiate or compromise in a way that resolves all issues.
Child custody, for example, is one of the biggest decisions you will need to make. It is also one of the factors in a divorce that leads to the most disagreement between couples. Not being able to agree on a parenting plan could hold up the whole divorce process. It is almost always best to try to reach an agreement yourselves than to have the judge do it for you, which is what will happen if you cannot.
Property division is another area that sees a lot of issues. You should approach this very carefully. Sometimes you may be fighting for something that you really do not need or that will not be beneficial to you moving forward. It can help to reevaluate things if you do end up disagreeing over property.