Divorce in Panama – Part 2

Published: 25 March, 2009

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This segment is a continuation of Divorce in Panama - Part I, what you need to know about getting a divorce in Panama. 5. See Divorce in Panama – Part 1 if you have not already read it.

6. If there is a Contentious Divorce Process, in which the parties cannot come to a prior agreement, the process can be long, nasty and very expensive. However, anytime during the process, if the parties come to an agreement, the contentious process can turned into a Mutual Agreement process.

7. The marital assets can include corporate stocks (nominal or bearer), under which you hold property or bank accounts. So be careful what you bring into the marriage or what you decide to share with your spouse. We know it’s kind of sneaky, but it doesn’t get any more real than this.

8. If Spanish is not your mother tongue you will need a translator during the trial. This is especially important if your wife is a native Spanish speaker. It can be a huge disadvantage if you cannot understand or make yourself understood during the trial.

9. Be aware that if you marry someone who is not Panamanian they can initiate divorce proceedings in their country of origin even if you were married in Panama. If this is the case the law can be very complicated and you may end up before a court in your spouse’s native land where the law may be considerably more favorable to their interests.

10. The bottom line; don’t let the Latin heat go to your head, because you could end up getting heat stroke in your pocket.

Be safe and be careful.
Sincerely,
The nice people at LEGALCORP.