When people imagine divorce, they often picture a highly contentious process. That's certainly the case for a lot of former couples, but there are many cases where it boils down to your divorce lawyer sending paperwork over to your ex's attorney's office. Just because a divorce isn't contentious doesn't mean there aren't some things you ought to keep an eye out for.
Are You Going Too Peacefully?
No divorce attorney in America is going to encourage you to dig in and have a pointless fight, but there also comes a point where you may be going too soft. It's wise to take a moment to look at the concessions you're making to determine whether there are some bones of contention to pick. While it can be tempting to just be done with the marriage, a pushy ex going up against a conciliatory one can lead to a very unbalanced and unfair outcome.
You need to think hard about what your financial situation is going to be and whether you'll have somewhere to live, for example. If there's a kid in the middle, you should also be thinking about your rights and the child's well-being.
Is the Paperwork Right?
Yes, between your divorce lawyer and theirs, there should be a good chance everything will be fine. It's still prudent to pump the brakes a little bit to ensure that all the details are ironed out.
Remember, temporary orders can be entered to deal with the essential items, such as alimony, child support, custody, and visitation. You can then use the time after a temporary order has been issued by the court to catch your breath and assess what has to be done. There's almost never a practical incentive to go super fast in a divorce, no matter how much you might want the marriage over. Take the time to fully review issues involving property and financial accounts, too.
Sureness
You should also take the respite to consider how sure you are that you want to get divorced. A pause can put things in perspective, and nothing is set in stone until the divorce is finalized. If the two of you aren't 100% sure about the divorce, see how things go for a couple of months. A few folks will become less convinced, and others will begin to see how obvious the end of a marriage has become once they're out of it for a while.
For more information, contact a divorce attorney.