Divorce Attorneys and Marriage Endings

Divorce attorneys must deal with the legal as well as emotional upheaval of their clients when a marriage ends. These experts are business associates but there is no way for them to not become somewhat entangled in the messy dissolution process. Sometimes the final days as husband and wife can be spent with a relative amount of compassion toward the soon-to-be former partner. In the best of circumstances, however, there’s going to be some discomfort. Here are some things to think about when selecting a lawyer to help untie the knot:

- Counseling first: Couples with seemingly irreconcilable differences should exhaust all possibilities before throwing in the towel. Sometimes a competent couples’ therapist can help the impasse to become passable after all. If not, at least they will know they tried everything before splitting up.

- Try living separately: It’s difficult to live with another person. Every human being has quirks and imperfections that can drive their partners insane if they spend too much time together. Living separately and getting together for dates can be a way to see if there’s still any chance of spark reigniting before going separate ways permanently. The perfect marital abode may actually be a duplex with a shared space. That way each person can have some time to themselves as well as some time together.
- Mediator: Employing a mediator is a wise choice during the break down of assets. If the couple can sit down civilly with an expert in mediation who specializes in the financial division of assets, they can save lots of time and money bickering in the courtroom.
- Word-of-mouth references: It’s always a smart idea to ask for word-of-mouth referrals when searching for competent lawyers. If you know people who have gone through this process, ask who they used and what their experience was like.
- Initial consultation: Many legal practitioners offer an initial consultation in order for prospective clients to meet and interview. It’s wise to make a list of all potential questions and bring them along. Having paper and pen in hand will help keep track of questions and answers. It’s easy to become rattled in the office and forget key questions. It’s also easy to forget exactly what the lawyers’ responses were.

- Fees: In dissolution of marriage cases, there is usually a base set of fees for filing paperwork, going to court, etc. Additional time and effort is usually billed hourly. The more complex the situation is, in terms of custody, division of assets and liabilities, the pricier the process will likely be.

- Two lawyers: Each spouse will have to employ their own legal representative in order to have a fair and ethical process. Each legal rep. will be looking out for the best interests of their own client. It’s important to have this protection in order to make the split economically sound for both parties.
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The ending of a marriage is never fun. Competent divorce attorneys can make the process smoother and less painful.