When you and your spouse begin the divorce process, it is easy for the experience to overwhelm you. Few experiences carry such a visceral emotional weight and also such potentially serious material and financial consequences.
It is important to find legal representation that understands what you truly need when you enter into a divorce. Some spouses want to use the divorce as an opportunity to punish their partner for their own hurts and disappointments, and seek legal guidance that seeks the same.
However, most healthy divorces allow both partners to reach fair, reasonable compromises and leave each spouse able to move on and create a new life on the other side.
If you choose an attorney who understands how to focus on helping you move on from your marriage healthily and completely, the process can remain professional and amicable without becoming an unnecessary battleground.
Don’t make the fight about more than it is
One of the most contentious aspects of any divorce is dividing property. This is especially true when you divorce in California, because we are one of only a few states that use community property division guidelines.
The reality of the matter is that property division, especially between couples who have significant assets, often becomes about more than the property at hand. In many cases, one spouse or the other wants a certain item because they know it means a great deal to the other spouse, or one spouse wants nothing to do with an asset they have a legitimate claim in.
Proper legal counsel can help ensure that you keep a healthy perspective throughout the process and maintain your focus on getting through the divorce so that you can rebuild something better and healthier.
Property division is rarely simple
When you and your spouse divorce, you essentially dissolve a business relationship. This requires a judge to grant your divorce, and requires you to obey California property division laws.
This process is much more complex than simply agreeing who gets to keep the table you got from Restoration Hardware. Many assets entail tax burdens (like real estate), and property division also includes debts as well as assets.
In order to achieve divorce, you and your spouse must reach a fair agreement that a judge approves, and a judge is unlikely to approve an agreement that does not fall within property division guidelines.
To protect yourself and your future, be sure to consult experience legal counsel throughout the divorce process. Strong guidance keeps your needs in focus while helping you move toward a new life in a new season.