If you and your spouse argue so much over property or child custody that you can’t come to an agreement, and instead take these issues to the judge to decide, you have what’s called a contested divorce. You’ll go through a process of exchanging information, settlement negotiations, hearings, and, if you can’t resolve the case after all that, a court trial. If this sounds like your situation, you'll want to talk to a lawyer.
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A “contested” divorce is the most complicated of divorces, because it involves spouses that can’t come to an agreement on one or many issues of their divorce.

Typically there are two kinds of divorces. The first is an “uncontested” divorce; this is where both spouses agree on all issues concerning the divorce, including but not limited to the division of marital property and debts, child custody, child support, and spousal support (“alimony”).

The second - a “contested” divorce - is where the spouses cannot agree on their divorce issues, and they end up in court, asking a judge to make these decisions for them.
http://www.divorcenet.com//legal-advice/divorce/divorce-basi...