If you are facing a divorce, fear you may be facing a divorce soon, or are preparing to file for divorce, there is no magic spell to ensure that your case proceeds smoothly, but there are tips shared by experienced divorce attorneys that can help immensely.
Divorce is, first and foremost, the dissolution of a marriage. That said, there is no denying that it is also an emotional journey that can interfere with your ability to see things clearly and protect your legal rights. As such, an important early step everyone facing divorce should take is consulting with a dedicated Round Rock divorce attorney.
Tip One: Allow Your Focused Divorce Attorney to Lead the Way
Divorce puts your financial and parental rights on the line, which means the matter is far too important to take a wait-and-see approach. While a divorce can take a considerable amount of time to finalize, having skilled legal guidance on your side from the start ensures that you begin on the right foot.
A Round Rock divorce lawyer can help effectively and efficiently guide your case toward a favorable resolution while avoiding serious bumps along the way. The terms of your divorce will guide your post-divorce future, and looking to your formidable divorce attorney’s skilled guidance as you move through the legal process can make a considerable difference in the outcome.
Your divorce attorney will help in all the following primary ways:
Helping to identify your divorce priorities and to make decisions that support them
Gathering and compiling the documentation necessary to support an advantageous resolution of your case
Helping you avoid the common divorce errors that could jeopardize your parental and financial rights
Skillfully negotiating with your divorcing spouse’s attorney for beneficial terms that protect your rights
Being well prepared to take your case to court in the event that your spouse isn’t interested in engaging in meaningful negotiations
Tip Two: Prioritize Your Children’s Well-Being
You don’t need to be told that divorce is hard on your children, but the emotional rollercoaster you’re on can make it more difficult to know how to help. To begin, it’s critical that you don’t put your children in the middle, but you may be wondering what that even means. You can follow these guidelines to help keep your children out of the crossfire of your divorce:
Don’t talk to your children about your negative emotions toward their other parent.
Don’t badmouth your children’s other parent in front of them.
Don’t communicate with your soon-to-be ex through your children.
Don’t let your negative feelings for your divorcing spouse affect your parenting – and get the help you need if this feels like an unattainable goal.
Retain structure in your children's lives, and don't skimp on the fun activities that you engage in together.
Be sensitive to your children’s needs and keep in mind that there are resources like counseling and peer support groups that can help.
Finally, it’s also important to cut yourself some slack. Parenting is a hard job at the best of times, and if you’re going through a divorce, it’s harder still. Do your best, take advantage of the resources available to you – including help from family members and friends – and keep going. You will get to the other side of your divorce, and you and your children will get back on solid ground.
Tip Three: Do What You Can to Handle Your Emotions
Divorce is full of emotional bombshells, and if you don’t find a way to handle your reactions, you could find yourself in some very tricky situations. If you put your emotions on the back burner until you have time to deal with them, they can bubble over at inopportune times.
Handling one's emotions in response to divorce means different things to different people, but all the following methods can help:
Sharing your thoughts, feelings, and emotions with a trusted friend, family member, counselor, or clergy member
Joining a support group
Carving time out of your busy schedule to do something you enjoy
Listening to the warning signs that you’re not coping as well as you would like, such as sleep disturbances or loss of appetite
Working closely with your accomplished divorce attorney
Divorce is an undeniably difficult experience, and while you shouldn’t expect perfection, there are things you can do to help make the process less daunting.
Tip Four: Avoid the Social Media Trap
Social media can be a fun distraction, but if you turn to social media to share your thoughts on a regular basis, you should reconsider this practice while you’re going through a divorce.
There is nothing private about social media. Even a screenshot of a personal message that involves you venting about your spouse can potentially make its way into your divorce, which is reason enough to limit your social media activity throughout the legal process.
Taking to social media to let everyone know exactly how wayward your divorcing spouse is can come back to haunt your case, and it isn't a great look overall. For example, the information can get back to your children and hurt them. Venting online can also tarnish your reputation and credibility – especially if your divorcing spouse is refraining from such practices.
In the end, any and all electronic messaging, such as texts, DMs, and emails, can end up in your divorce case and, as a result, can affect the outcome. Now is the time to focus on moving your case forward, protecting your children, fostering your own well-being, and preserving your dignity. Giving social media the cold shoulder can help with all of that.
Tip Five: Steer Clear of Legal Advice from Family and Friends
Your family members and close friends are an excellent source of comfort and support during this difficult time, but listening to their legal advice is unlikely to do you any favors. While those you know may provide you with excellent recommendations when you’re in the market for a Round Rock divorce attorney, that’s where their legal guidance should end.
Once you have a divorce attorney whom you trust, it’s time to strategize the best path forward with him or her. Taking every comment from those in your close personal circle to heart only dilutes and frustrates your legal efforts.
Your loved ones mean well, but it’s unlikely that they have the legal skill, resources, knowledge of the local court system, and access to information that your attorney does and that is necessary to offer well-considered, actionable advice.
Tip Six: Know When to Call It Quits on Negotiations
Negotiating the terms of your divorce between you and your spouse – with the focused guidance of your respective attorneys – ensures that you retain decision-making authority. You can also pursue mediation, which keeps decision-making between the two of you and which is only legally binding if you reach a mutually acceptable agreement.
Turning to the court to make primary decisions about your future is a crapshoot that most divorcing couples go to great lengths to avoid. There are, however, instances when ditching negotiations and heading directly to court is the best path forward.
If your divorcing spouse is more interested in hurting you than in resolving divorce terms, it’s unlikely that he or she is going to see reason at the negotiating table. Some individuals become so emotionally distraught during the divorce process that they lose sight of reason. If your divorcing spouse is stalling negotiations, heading straight to court may be your best option.
An Experienced Round Rock Divorce Attorney Is on Your Side
Brett Pritchard at The Law Office of Brett H. Pritchard in Round Rock, Texas, is a knowledgeable divorce attorney with an impressive, decades-long record of successfully guiding challenging cases toward optimal outcomes, and he’s on your side.
The terms of your divorce are important to you and your children’s future, so please don’t put off contacting us online or calling us at (254) 781-4222 to schedule your FREE consultation and learn more today.