As many Virginia residents are probably well aware, divorce can often be a difficult process, involving a host of complicated issues that don't always have easy resolutions. However, this is not necessarily always the case. Indeed, many may be interested to hear of the seemingly amicable divorce between singer Katy Perry and comedian Russell Brand.

The couple married in October 2010, but announced a little more than a year later, in December 2011, that they planned to divorce. They made that divorce official on Feb. 7 when Brand filed the necessary papers in a Los Angeles Superior Court. What is interesting, though, about their divorce is the otherwise bland nature of the filing.

Both Brand and Perry are wealthy due to their own individual endeavors, but Perry appears to be the wealthier spouse with some $44 million in earnings. Moreover, the couple does not have a prenuptial agreement, meaning that if he had chosen to, Brand could have sought a significant share of Perry's earnings -- perhaps even as much as $20 million. Yet the divorce papers disclosed that the two have already reached a settlement outside of court, and that Brand will not be seeking any share of Perry's earnings.

By settling outside of court, the couple may have been able to avoid a potentially costly and stressful court battle over the division of their assets. Of course, such a divorce settlement is not necessarily possible in all cases, especially when one spouse is contesting the divorce itself. Nonetheless, Virginia couples who are seeking a divorce may consider whether a settlement is possible, or if it is preferable to argue the matter in court.

Source: New York Daily News, "Katy Perry, Russell Brand reach amicable divorce settlement: Comedian walks away from $20M payout," Joyce Chen, Feb. 9, 2012