Divorce is a time of immense stress, uncertainty, and upheaval. Navigating this difficult process can be a challenge for anyone. Surviving your divorce and emerging successfully on a personal, financial, and emotional front requires a thorough self-evaluation, external awareness, and some help from a Florida attorney well versed in the field of family and divorce law.
The following is a list of the top five mistakes made by even the best intentioned Florida spouses going through a divorce. These mistakes can often be attributed to the high emotions promulgating during this time and a lack of knowledge or guidance. It is our hope that this list can save you from unnecessary grief while obtaining a divorce.
- Filing for divorce pro se: Electing not to seek the assistance of a divorce attorney can be the single most costly decision you make concerning your divorce. Without the skilled guidance of an attorney, you may settle with your spouse for far fewer assets or less time with children than you are entitled to. You could also miss crucial deadlines or forget paperwork and soon find yourself bogged down in a never ending divorce. To make matters worse, decisions made during your divorce as to division of assets, alimony, and the like are often irreversible. Accordingly, seek the help of a licensed divorce attorney now to avoid heartache and substantial additional expense down the road.
- Believing that your soon-to-be former spouse will be fair and cooperative: Attempting to proceed with an amicable, uncontested divorce is a fantastic idea for nearly all divorcing couples. However, one should never make the mistake of assuming you and your soon to be former spouse will remain in agreement about everything and have each other’s best interests at heart. A divorce attorney’s role is to protect your legal rights. Having a divorce attorney advocate will help to ensure that you and your spouse reach an amicable settlement that is fair and equitable to you both.
- Letting emotions take control of your decision making: It is easy to get caught up in feelings of hurt, sadness, and anger during a divorce. While all of these emotions are normal and understandable, you should not allow them to cloud your rational decision making ability. Discuss any potential action with your divorce attorney as he or she could keep you from making a costly mistake. Furthermore, letting emotions take control of your decision making may lead to unnecessary litigation and expense in your divorce. Listen to your attorney. The attorney’s role is to provide you with legal advice and provide you with realistic scenarios in your divorce. (Therefore, it is crucial to choose a seasoned family and divorce attorney who is knowledgeable about the law and familiar with the courtroom.)
- Being financially disorganized: Lots of divorcing individuals approach mediation and attorney meetings with little idea where they stand financially. To be able to fully assist you and ensure you receive the settlement to which you are entitled, your attorney or mediator must have an understanding of your finances. This starts with you becoming financially aware and organized. A divorce attorney can assist you in acquiring professional help to organize your finances, but you can save time and money by doing so yourself.
- Withholding information from your attorney: To effectively represent you to the fullest extent, your attorney must be informed of all pertinent facts concerning your divorce. Withholding information that may embarrass you or perhaps you feel is insignificant can place your lawyer at a serious disadvantage. Nothing is worse than being surprised in court with harmful testimony; prevent this from ever happening to you by being honest and disclosing fully to your attorney.
If you are interested in learning more about your legal options regarding your Florida divorce, contact the experienced and seasoned Florida Divorce Attorneys at the Law Offices of James S. Cunha, P.A. to schedule a consultation.
