No one wants to think about their divorce. A separation is a messy, emotional process. Unless you’re celebrating newfound freedom, it’s natural to want to check out of the process and handle things on autopilot.
Unfortunately, that’s exactly the opposite of what you should do. During your split, you need to pay attention to the process and all the little details to make sure you understand what’s going on and what it means for you. Keep reading to learn why it’s so important to stay involved during your divorce, what that means, and tips for staying on top of things throughout the process.
How to Stay Involved with Your Divorce
While divorce is the end of a relationship, it’s also a complex legal process that takes time and effort to manage. As much as you may want to ignore it, that can have significant legal and financial consequences for the rest of your life.
Every divorce includes several major decisions about your property, income, and children. Specifically, the judge will decide how your assets should be divided, if and how much alimony should be paid, and who should receive custody if you have children.
During the proceedings, you’ll have the opportunity to talk to the judge about these issues. You’ll also need to turn in paperwork and documentation related to them. This is your best chance to make your case for keeping the assets you want, receiving the alimony you deserve, and retaining custody of your kids.
If you’re engaged with the process, you can make a better argument. On the other hand, if you’re not paying attention and miss deadlines, you lose the opportunity to present your side of the situation.
Furthermore, you make a bad impression on the judge, which can lend weight to your ex-partner’s claims about your behavior. Finally, you may even risk criminal charges if you ignore important messages like a court summons. Staying engaged moves the process along faster, prevents you from harming your case, and keeps you on the right side of the law.
Keeping Your Divorce On Track
It’s one thing to understand that it’s important to stay involved in the divorce process. It’s another to know what that means. Here are a few tips that should help you keep yourself and your separation on track and on the path to success.
Complete Your Financial Documents Quickly
During a divorce, you need to declare the state of your finances through a collection of documents, including financial affidavits and a statement of net worth.
A financial affidavit is basically a summary of your entire economic life that describes all your sources of income, debts, expenses, and assets over a year. Meanwhile, a statement of net worth is a snapshot of your total assets and debts at the current moment.
You must file these documents in a timely fashion. They inform how the court will divide you and your spouse’s marital assets between you. Delaying can significantly impact how quickly your divorce can be completed.
Respond to Depositions and Interrogatories Before Deadlines
Similarly, it’s essential to turn in other court documents on time. Non-financial documentation includes depositions and interrogatories. These are basically interviews where an attorney asks you questions relevant to the divorce. They give the court important context when making decisions about major assets and child custody.
You may or may not need to participate in a deposition or interrogatory. If you’re not sure, you should ask your attorney. If you need to do these, make sure you do them sooner rather than later. Ignoring a request for a deposition or interrogatory can lead to charges of contempt of court, leading to criminal penalties and lengthening the process.
Give Your Experts the Context They Need
Some complicated divorces involve one or more experts who want to help you manage things more effectively. These experts include financial advisors and child custody counselors. If you want these professionals to do their best work, you have to give them the context they need.
For instance, if you choose to work with a forensic account to track down all of your marital assets, you need to give them details to perform an investigation. It’s not enough to ask them to help. Provide context, like the fact that the business you own with your spouse experienced suspicious transactions. They can use that context to focus their search and get you useful results in less time.
Similarly, child custody counselors should understand the background of your own and your spouse’s relationships with your children. If you can give them context about potential abuse or dangers your children face from their other parent, the counselor can make better recommendations to the judge regarding custody.
Stay in Touch with Your Attorney
Your lawyer is your best resource for navigating the legal system. A good divorce lawyer has the experience you need to get through your separation without missing deadlines or forgetting important details. That’s why you need to stay in touch throughout the process.
Regular communication with your lawyer helps keep you updated on how the process is going. You’ll never risk forgetting about essential details, and you’ll always know the next step of the process. Schedule regular meetings with your lawyer, and don’t hesitate to contact them if you have questions. It’s the best way to make sure you know what’s going on and address problems before they grow.
Start Your Divorce on the Right Foot
The best way to get through a separation is to give it the attention the process deserves. As tempting as it may be to tune out, that will only hurt you in the long run. Instead, pay attention, stay in contact with your experts, and meet deadlines to make sure you’re on top of things.
You can get the help you need to keep things on track by working with an experienced lawyer. Schedule your consultation today to learn how the team at Regele Law, LLC, can help you get through it.
