Divorce can be a very stressful, contentious process. People often want emotional vindication during divorce, which can lead to a very protracted court process. The choices that people make as they prepare for divorce can affect the outcome of family court proceedings and can therefore impact people’s lives for years to come.
Ideally, those preparing for divorce keep their focus on their long-term happiness and financial recovery. Unfortunately, many people let short-term emotions dictate how they act during a process that could drastically alter the course of their lives. What can people do when preparing for divorce to make the process easier?
Secure representation early
Some people wait until their spouse hires a lawyer to consult with an attorney. Doing so might put them at a marked disadvantage. They may have very little time to locate the right legal representation and may have spent months laboring under incorrect assumptions about what might occur during the divorce. A lawyer can give someone a realistic idea of what may happen regarding financial and parental decisions in their divorce proceedings. They can also help someone establish a strategy to achieve their divorce goals.
Focus on effective communication
People can trust that their communications with their lawyers should be private or confidential, meaning that they can share details with their attorney without risking the exposure of that information in family court. Being honest and thorough when discussing the marital situation with an attorney is critical to the establishment of realistic goals.
Honesty early in the process can also protect someone from consequences, as the courts may penalize those who assert untrue information in family court. A person preparing for a divorce needs to set clear priorities and ensure that they communicate them effectively to their lawyer. It is often smart to create a list of different priorities and then analyze them with a lawyer.
An attorney can help someone determine which priorities are realistic, which ones they are unlikely to achieve and which ones they can be flexible with because they are less important to the individual. The ability to compromise in some aspects of the divorce can be highly beneficial, as spouses can theoretically have a much easier time divorcing if they cooperate with one another instead of litigating the vast majority of the process.
Those who have the right support and goals can often secure terms in their divorces that allow for a brighter future. Partnering with the right lawyer and focusing on divorce goals can set someone up for an easier divorce than going it alone or tackling each issue without planning as it arises.
