Whether you’re thinking about divorce, your spouse has indicated that they want a divorce, or you and your spouse have mutually agreed that divorcing is the best way forward, you likely feel overwhelmed by all the practical, emotional, legal, social, and financial challenges that divorce tends to inspire. This is both normal and understandable. Thankfully, there are numerous resources available that can potentially mitigate the stresses associated with each of these “classes” of challenges. When it comes to the legal side of things, working with an attorney whose approach to divorce meets your needs will almost certainly be of genuine help.
Clarifying Your Unique Needs, Priorities, and Goals
As an experienced divorce lawyer – including those who practice at Winfrey Law Firm, PLLC – can confirm, there is no “one size fits all” approach to the divorce process. Instead, each divorce needs to take into account the individual needs, priorities, and goals of those involved. For example, if you and your spouse are committed to splitting amicably in ways that keep your costs low, you’re going to benefit from a different approach to divorce than you would if you and your spouse are unsuccessfully navigating fundamental differences about property division and/or child custody.
Types of Divorce
The best approach to the divorce process is the one that best reflects your unique goals, needs, and priorities. There are two primary kinds of divorce: contentious and non-contentious. Contentious divorces usually involve spouses who cannot bridge their fundamental differences without judicial intervention and/or spouses whose unions were affected by domestic abuse. These divorces are handled in a traditional courtroom setting, with a judge settling the differences between the parties.
By contrast, non-contentious divorces do not require judicial intervention. The spouses involved may bridge their differences via personal communication, mediation, and/or attorney-led negotiation. Some lawyers specialize in contentious divorce cases, some in various kinds of non-contentious cases, and some family law firms handle both broad approaches.
When meeting with an attorney, it is important to communicate clearly about your needs, priorities, and goals for your divorce process. Doing so will help to ensure that you and your lawyer are on the same page and that their approach meets your needs. Additionally, this proactive communication will help your attorney to begin crafting a strong legal strategy that facilitates your goals and advances your interests to the fullest possible extent under the circumstances.