Has your marriage hit rock bottom?
Yes, vows were exchanged, but death is not always the thing that does couples apart. In fact, it’s estimated that about half of all marriages in the U.S. will end in divorce, so it’s fair to conclude that between death and divorce, it’s a toss of the coin.
Although filing for divorce can be an emotionally-painful decision, it could as well be one of the best decisions you’ve ever made. The second-best decision? Hiring a divorce attorney.
While you might have compelling reasons, such as in the case of an amicable divorce, through the divorce process without an attorney, you’d be making a mistake.
Here’s a brief look at the various ways an attorney will come in handy.
1. Understand Your Rights
No two divorce cases are the same, but one thing doesn’t change: everyone has rights that must be respected.
For example, if you share a home with your soon-to-be ex-spouse, everyone has a right to continue living in the property until the case concludes, or until a court of law issues orders directing one party to move out.
Knowing all rights is key to ensuring a just divorce. But if you don’t know those rights, your partner (and their legal team) could take advantage of you.
With a divorce attorney in your corner, you’ll have a clear understanding of your rights, and what to do when they’re being violated.
2. Negotiating a Divorce Agreement/Settlement
Some divorcing partners simply choose to walk away from their marriages without asking for anything. It’s understandable if you don’t want to subject yourself to any more emotional torture, but if there’s a lot at stake, such as kids and property, you just can’t walk away.
It’s important that you and your partner reach a divorce agreement regarding these issues; otherwise, the court will decide for you.
An experienced divorce attorney is a skilled negotiator. Whether you want full or partial child custody, spousal support, or property division, you can count on your attorney to negotiate and reach a favorable divorce agreement.
Visit this law office if you need experienced divorce attorneys.
3. Dealing With Divorce Paperwork
You may have agreed to get married over a dinner date, but ending a marriage isn’t as simple as saying this is over. There’s paperwork involved, the quantity of which will depend on the nature of your divorce case.
Although you can download divorce forms online, fill them out, and file them with the court on your own, you’d have to be familiar with the process to guarantee an error-free process. Do you really want the clerk at the divorce court calling you to say that you didn’t append your signature in the right place?
Your divorce attorney will handle all the paperwork on your behalf, ensuring all the details are entered correctly. This speeds up the process, and what you want is a quick dissolution of the marriage.
It’s Over, But Get a Divorce Attorney
Once it’s clear your marriage is over, you might want to go through the process without involving more people than necessary. Of the people you must involve, a divorce attorney is one of them, for reasons explained above.
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