 TITLE: What Is a Divorce Decree? CONTENT: How Does a Divorce Decree Work?\n-------------------------------\nMarriages, like most partnerships, are formalized with documents. A marriage license is the document that formalizes a marriage, and a divorce decree is the document that formally ends it.\nDuring your marriage, you and your spouse may have signed documents such as cardholder agreements, leases, promissory notes and other contracts that obligated you to make payments on debts and services.\nIf you and your spouse entered into these agreements together, then you are what's known as co-obligors. That means you and your spouse are equally liable for the repayment of your debts, despite what your divorce decree may say. A divorce decree may specify which partner should be making a payment each month, but joint responsibilities don't just disappear when you decide to end your marriage. The divorce decree does not change your status as a co-obligor, which means you'll face consequences if your partner doesn't hold up their end of the agreement. END