When you decide to get a divorce, life will seem chaotic and stressful if you do not have a good lawyer to help you through the process. Without a good lawyer, you may not get your share of things, so here are 3 things you should do during the divorce process.
Call Your Lawyer
First, you need to call your lawyer or find one at a firm like Little Valerie M Law Corp if you do not have one. You need to do this as soon as you decide that you are moving forward with the divorce so that your attorney can advise you what things you should and should not do during the process.
If you and your spouse are not getting along, then it is important to keep a journal of everything that is happening and things that are said. You should also record conversations in which you and your spouse talk about how you want to handle things so that you have proof of their cooperation in case he or she tries to change their mind at the last second.
Also, be open with your spouse about using a lawyer so that he or she can hire one too. You both need to be represented fairly, so do not keep secrets from him or her.
Avoid Compromising Situations
Next, you want to have the strongest case possible so that you get an equal share of your belongings in the divorce. That is why you need to avoid compromising situations in which your spouse can find evidence to use against you.
For example, dating before you are divorced can hurt your case because your spouse could try to show that you were not faithful even if this was not true during the course of your marriage.
Also, avoid spending lavish amounts of money as this can look like you are trying to drain the accounts. You may not get nearly as many of the possessions if it looks like you cannot be responsible and handle things fairly.
Give Straight Answers if You Have Mediation
Lastly, you may have to attend mediation in order to finalize your divorce if your spouse is being difficult about how to divide the assets. Mediation is where you and your lawyer meet with your spouse and his or her lawyer, and someone else records everything that is said.
In this meeting, you should only give yes or no answers, and do not give extra information that is not asked for because too much information can lead to more questions. If the opposing side wants more information, he or she can ask more in depth questions.
Before you go in for mediation, try to go over possible questions and answers in your head, and practice your responses so that you are composed and concise. This is especially important if there are questions about custody of children or questions that could back you into a corner.
By doing these 3 things, you can get your fair share of the assets in your divorce without nearly as much stress and frustration.
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