A divorce legally begins with the service of the Summons and Petition for Dissolution of Marriage. Service can be accomplished by your spouse signing an Acknowledgement of Service or personal service by a third party.
Generally, once a divorce is begun, most cases begin with an exchange of information. This information is bank statements, retirement statements, debt statements, etc. This information gathering allows for an easier development of a balance sheet that will eventually (hopefully) guide the way to resolution.
If there are children involved in the marriage, the issue of custody and parenting time are resolved first (if possible). Resolution is attempted to be reached through direct negotiation, mediation/alternative dispute resolution and if necessary, the litigation process through Court.
Financials are then addressed by creating a balance sheet. With the balance sheet, assets and liabilities are divided in a fair and equitable matter. With financials, the issue of cash flow will also be addressed which is child support (if children are involved) and spousal maintenance.