Divorce

Divorce is typically the most significant legal event of an individual’s life. The process may directly or indirectly involve your home and other assets, your income, your financial obligations, your rights and obligations involving your children, and even post-mortem issues such as inheritances, will provisions, and other beneficiary arrangements. Depending on the circumstances, a divorce may necessitate a return to the workforce by a stay-at-home spouse, the incurrence of new debt, a temporary or permanent move, and a myriad of other issues. To make matters worse, the gravity of such changes and the potential disruption to day-to-day life must often be dealt with under the magnified emotional and psychological stress that naturally results from the breakdown of a marriage.

Divorce is not a “one size fits all” process. Occasionally, parties arrive at the end of their marriage with shared goals and ideals regarding the resolution of the issues involved, and are able to come to an agreement on those issues with minimal discomfort or disruption to daily life. Options such as mediation or collaborative law are regularly employed as a method by which parties with mutual aspirations of fairness, civility, and reasonableness are given an opportunity to deal with issues in a less formal and potentially less stressful atmosphere than that which normally accompanies litigation. Despite the potential benefits of such alternative dispute resolution methods, however, existing circumstances and client interests may be such that attorney negotiations or even litigation remains the best method for dealing with the issues involved.

Whether seeking to resolve a divorce and related matters through alternative dispute resolution processes such as mediation or collaborative law, through attorney negotiations, or through litigation, you need an attorney with the competence, personality, and experience to help you navigate the difficult and stressful issues involved. Your attorney should be an effective counselor (though not a substitute psychologist) as well as an effective advocate on your behalf. A competent attorney is vitally important when seeking either a fair settlement or zealous representation on your behalf at trial. If you are considering or are faced with the possibility of a divorce, please contact us to discuss your questions, concerns, and how best to navigate the road ahead.