If you have been served with Florida divorce papers, you understandably may be in a state of shock. While some people know that a divorce is on the horizon, others have no idea that their spouse is considering such an action until they serve them with divorce papers. Either way, now that you have been served with divorce papers, you may wonder what to do next. Your first instinct may be to set the paperwork aside and read it later on. As with most things which many of us set aside to do “later,” the divorce papers may not get reviewed for quite some time. As intimidating or unpleasant of a task as it may be to sit down and read the divorce paperwork, the best time to do it is as soon as you receive it.
After you have read the divorce papers a few times, the next order of business is to retain an experienced Florida Divorce Attorney. It is essential that you begin contacting attorneys right away, as it may take a few phone calls to find someone who is available to take your case, and which attorney is a good fit for you. Also, time is of the essence in a divorce proceeding. Failure to respond to the divorce petition that you have received within twenty days, or to file a financial affidavit and supporting documents shortly thereafter, could result in an unfavorable outcome for you.
In addition to ensuring that your divorce paperwork is completed and filed with the court in a timely manner, your Florida Divorce Attorney can answer your questions about divorce. They will also take over the task of communicating with your spouse, or with their attorney if they are represented by counsel. When there are hearings in your divorce case, your attorney will attend them with you, to represent your interests.
The third thing that you must do, after you have read your divorce papers and retained your attorney, is to protect your interests. There are three things that you can do to protect your interests. One of these things is listening carefully to your attorney and taking their advice seriously. Your attorney has helped many clients walk down this road before, and they know all about the things which can help or harm divorce cases. The second way that you can protect your interests is to say as little as possible to your soon-to-be former spouse. Anything that you say could be used against you later on. The third way to protect your interests is to avoid selling or transferring any assets or items of personal property. If you think that certain items or assets should be sold as a part of the divorce proceedings, let your attorney know, so that they can discuss it with you further.
If you are interested in learning more about your legal options regarding your Florida divorce or some other important family law matter, contact the Law Offices of James S. Cunha at (561) 429-3924 or via email at [email protected]. Our Divorce Law Firm located in Palm Beach County represents clients throughout the West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Wellington, Jupiter, Palm Beach County, Broward County, and Martin County areas.
