Heading into your divorce, you probably want to get the process over as quickly as possible. That’s understandable. After all, many divorces are riddled with pain, agony, and uncertainty.
But rushing your divorce could put you at a disadvantage far into the future. You could lose out on marital assets that you’re entitled to, and you could be subjected to a custody order that doesn’t fully support your children’s best interests. That’s why it’s important to take the time necessary to focus on those issues that matter most to you, even if it will slow down the overall process.
While thorough preparation can keep your marriage dissolution moving at a pace that you’re comfortable with, there may be issues that slow the process down. This includes the following:
- Child custody disputes: Building your child custody arguments can take time. For example, you might need to gather medical, mental health, substance abuse treatment, or criminal records, which can take some time to compile. The court could also order a child custody evaluation. One of these evaluations can take months to play out and culminate in a formal final report. You don’t want to rush the child custody process. Instead, take the time needed to craft persuasive arguments so that you protect your children and their bests interests as fully as possible.
- Arguments pertaining to hidden assets: You’re entitled to your share of marital assets. Figuring out what those assets are can be trickier than you thought, though. This is because your spouse could be hiding assets from you. If you don’t take the time needed to locate these assets, then you could lose out on significant financial resources. To ensure you protect your interests here, you might need to engage a forensic accountant and pour over financial records.
- Spousal support fights: One party to the divorce may think that they’re entitled to monthly support payments to assist them in becoming self-sufficient post-divorce. This can be a hotly contested issue that requires full litigation, which can slow the divorce process considerably. The spouse seeking support will need to present evidence as to the marital standard of living and the other spouse’s ability to pay support, and issues of cohabitation can also come into play.
- Psychological issues: Your divorce might be blanketed with conflict stemming from emotional and psychological harm caused by the marriage and the divorce process itself. Infidelity might breed resentment, and lack of respect demonstrated during the marriage can be carried over into divorce settlement negotiations. Navigating these complexities can be trying, to say the least. They’ll take time to work out and, in the end, they may force you to litigate even those issues that you think should be easily resolved.
There might be several other issues that lead to delays in your divorce. Some of them, though, are necessary. Although you don’t want your divorce to linger far too long, you also don’t want to rush it to the point that it puts you in a bad place once your divorce is finalized.
Carefully craft the divorce legal strategy that protects your interests
Your divorce’s outcome can have a tremendous impact on your future, affecting everything from your finances, your emotional health, and your time and relationship with your children. You can’t afford to risk all of that by improvising during your divorce.
Before heading into your marriage dissolution, then, arm yourself with an aggressive, persuasive, and otherwise effective divorce legal strategy. Only then can you rest assured that you’ve done everything you can to set yourself up for a successful next chapter in life.