Have you officially decided to end your marriage? After thinking about the situation for quite some time, you may have decided that getting a divorce is the only option because of what you have been through with your partner and because of his or her inability to try to fix things between you. If there is no mending the broken relationship, you are likely looking forward to getting out of the marriage and starting over fresh without dealing with the burden of being around someone who makes you feel miserable.
When filing for divorce, it is in your best interest to hire a divorce attorney to represent you and ensure your rights are protected. An experienced attorney can provide you with the help you need during a tough time when you are likely going through a lot of emotions that are probably hard to handle and may even cloud your judgement.
You Need to Know What the Process is Like
The first reason you should hire an attorney when filing for divorce is to learn more about the process and what it entails. If this is the first time you are getting divorced, you might not know what steps you need to take to get the process started. The attorney can assist you with filing the petition against your spouse. When you are completing the petition paperwork, you will need to include details on your reason for wanting to get a divorce from your former spouse, such as infidelity, dishonesty, or irreconcilable differences. Your attorney will let you know how much it will cost for you to file the paperwork and have the divorce papers served to your spouse because you need to be fully aware of the expenses.
While the attorney is there to tell you what the process is like and assist you with initially filing the divorce petition, you can also trust your legal professional to get you prepared for what will happen throughout the next several months. Some divorce proceedings will take longer than others and you should be prepared for that because you never know how long yours will take. The length of time that it takes to finalize the divorce will all depend on various factors, including you and your former partner’s willingness to communicate, cooperate, and compromise when you are both trying to figure things out. Your attorney will work on getting you through the divorce proceedings in a quick and stress-free manner.
It is Good to Have Someone on Your Side
It will feel good to have someone on your side throughout the divorce proceedings. Now that your marriage is over, you are likely going through a lot of emotions, including feelings of pure sadness and loneliness. When you exchanged vows with this person, you never expected things would come to this. Now that you are in this position, you might feel like you have no one to lean on during a difficult and painful time, but your attorney is someone you can depend on. Hiring an experienced legal professional means having someone available to work diligently on your case to achieve the best outcome for you.
There are certain things that you might want to fight for now that you are getting out of the marriage, such as property that belongs to both you and your former partner and physical belongings that you feel you are entitled to for one reason or another. Even if your former partner does not initially agree to split things evenly with you or give you certain belongings that you have requested, your attorney will work hard to get you what you want during mediation with the other attorney. While there is no guarantee that you will get everything that you are currently asking for, your lawyer is on your side and is going to do what it takes to make you happy.
You do Not Want to Lose Out Due to a Lack of Understanding
Some people decide to represent themselves when filing for divorce because they are trying to save some cash and do not want to pay for legal representation. Although wanting to save money is understandable, it could cost you more money in the future if you represent yourself and lose out on some of the things you were hoping to receive. If your former partner hires a lawyer and you do not have one, he or she is going to have much more of an advantage over you because his or her lawyer will understand the legal process of getting divorced and will explain things in detail to your ex. Because you do not want to feel like you are losing out on everything you wanted, needed, and were hoping to get out of the divorce, you should have a divorce lawyer taking care of your case.
You Might Have a Better Chance of Settling
There are couples that have had to stand in front of a judge while allowing the judge to decide who gets what because they simply could not agree on anything and would not cooperate during mediation sessions. While this is necessary for some former couples that cannot see eye to eye and refuse to work with one another, it is always best to try to settle out of the courtroom if possible. You do not have to forgive your ex for what he or she did to you, but you can still be mature enough to communicate in an effective way while trying to compromise.
When you need to get in front of a judge with your ex, the divorce proceedings can continue to drag on a lot longer than you might have anticipated, which is only going to cause more agony and frustration for you over time. If your ex would like to get things over with just as much as you would like to, settling is always an option for both of you. Your lawyer and your ex’s lawyer can communicate with another to prevent conflict and tension between the two of you while working on reaching a practical agreement.
A Divorce Attorney can Give You the Best Advice
Not everyone knows how to properly deal with getting a divorce. When you are feeling such a mixture of emotions, you might act irrationally or get into petty arguments with your ex over things such as custody agreements and the separation of property. Rather than acting on your emotions and getting upset with your ex, you can reach out to your attorney for professional advice when you need it. Your lawyer can let you know if you are in the wrong when it comes to certain things and can provide you with specific steps you should take to avoid confrontation with your ex. After all, you want to get through the divorce without the drama and hostility.
Getting a divorce is difficult enough but it is even more of a challenge to go through it alone. If you need to file for divorce because your marriage is not working out and you are ready to move on, you should hire a reputable divorce attorney to take on your case, help you file your petition, and get you prepared for the divorce process. It is not wise to go through this process alone when you do not have a detailed understanding of the laws surrounding divorce. If you are ready to receive legal assistance with this process, reach out to Bouloukos Oglesby & Mitchell at 205-352-4205.