The Contested Divorce Survival Guide For Men

In a contested divorce, the parties are unable to agree on important issues such as child custody and division of community assets. The legal process can take longer to finalize in contested divorces. When an agreement cannot be reached, the parties appear before a judge. The judge will make the final decisions on all the outstanding issues. If you are a man facing a contested divorce, you will need to look out for your best interests during the legal process.

Surviving a Contested Divorce

There is a lot involved in dealing with a divorce, especially when your ex-wife does not want to cooperate. Here are some steps you will need to take to survive a contested divorce:

• Hire an attorney. You will want to meet with an attorney prior to deciding if he is right for you. Getting the recommendation of an attorney is helpful as is asking about your potential attorney's track record in divorce cases, especially because you are a man facing special issues as to spousal support and child custody. Once you have found an attorney you like, you will need to provide him with information about your marriage, child custody desires, income and financial documentation, assets that will be included in the divorce and any other matters that you need to work out to finalize your divorce.
• Discovery is the part of divorce that happens after the initial papers have been filed. Both sides gather evidence, take depositions and prepare to present their case to a judge.
• Settlement negotiations can be going on during the discovery process and up until a court hearing. The court may ask that the parties try to settle prior to the hearing. Coming to an amicable agreement in a divorce case can be challenging.
• If you are unable to settle, your case can go to trial. At trial, both sides will present their cases to a judge in family court. This gives you a chance to be heard and present evidence in favor of what you would like to achieve from the divorce case. For example, if you are seeking child custody, you may want to provide character witnesses that can verify that you are a good father.
• At the end of the case, the judge will enter a final judgment as to any outstanding issues in your divorce case. If you are not satisfied with the final judgment, you can appeal or file a post-trial motion. Or, you can wait and attempt to amend the disposition at a later date.
• If you have children in your divorce, custody arrangements can be tricky. It is important to do what you can to remain amicable with your ex-wife if at all possible. You may have to pay child support even if you have your kids half-time or more. This will depend on any disparity between your income and your ex-wife's income. For long marriages, you may be entitled to pay spousal support as well.
• There are several things that you can do during the process to help your case. Cooperate with your lawyer and make sure you consider his advice seriously. He has likely handled cases like yours in the past and can help you get through yours. Cooperate with the court and treat the court and all parties to the dispute and in divorce proceedings with the utmost respect. Your judge will be watching you in court to decide what kind of person you are, and the way you behave can have an impact on the outcome of your case.

Getting Legal Help

Divorce is a difficult, emotional process. Getting the help of an experienced divorce attorney is vital to making sure you get the outcome that you desire. Your future finances and custody arrangement are important factors in determining your overall well-being. You deserve a fair deal, and an attorney can help you get one.