Expectations and Goals

ARTICLES

Reducing Legal Fees
Considerations For Separation
• Expectations and Goals
Alternate Dispute Resolution

Family Law Advocates | Blue Bird Painting
Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.
– Albert Einstein

Important Steps to Protect Yourself in a Divorce

You have decided to separate from your spouse, or one of you has actually left the house. Now what?
Well, now you have to sort things out. You’ll have to decide on arrangements for the kids, or maybe sell the house and put a value on the business. Maybe you’ll have to pay support. Or you may wonder if you can count on receiving it. Do you need legal advice or help in reaching an agreement?

Families, like snowflakes, are unique. Your divorced neighbor might have ended up with the house and sole guardianship of the children. Even if you have the same number of children, and live in a similar house, you may not have the same result, because you and your spouse interact with each other and your children in a way that is specific to your family. Your financial picture is also one of a kind.

When people separate, it is natural to make “wish lists.” One parent may want to keep the house and have sole care of the children, and to receive generous child support and indefinite spousal support. The other parent may want to sell the house and split the proceeds, share guardianship of the children, and pay no child or spousal support. Neither of these parties is likely to be thrilled with the outcome, because most judges’ decisions, in common with most negotiated agreements, contain compromises. The difference is in who decides what the compromises will be.

Hard as it is, you have to temper your expectations.

• Understand that it will take time to negotiate a good agreement, or to go through the litigation process.

• Don’t expect the judge to decide everything in your favour.

• Figure out your priorities, and concentrate energy and resources on them. Understand that there are many variables, that neither you nor your lawyer control, which can alter the outcome of your case. For example, what would happen if you, your spouse, one of the lawyers or the judge who was halfway through hearing your case became ill? Other factors include the personalities of all involved, the approaches taken by your lawyers, your ability to pay for litigation, your history as a couple, the availability of court time and changes of circumstances as you go through the process.

• Be accountable for yourself.

• If you had a disappointing marriage, understand that the process of separation and divorce will not change your partner’s personality or behavior. Nor, if you have children, will separation and divorce completely remove your partner from your life.

What you can expect from us:

We will give you practical advice about your options.

We will give you the information you need to make good choices.

We will treat you with respect.

We will do the best we can to help you achieve your goals and move forward in a positive, cost effective way.

© LM Family Law