Divorce – Navigating The Emotional And Legal Issues

Across the nation, 40-50% of marriages end in divorce. Second and third marriages have higher divorce rates than first marriages according to the American Psychological Association.   Some divorces can be considered healthy breakups while others look like a civil war. While there may not be a way to avoid a divorce, keeping it in the healthy category can be done.

Choose A Good Time For Communication

Separation and divorce are extremely emotional times. You and your spouse may feel all types of emotions like anger, grief, fear of the future and anxiety. Whatever issues triggered the divorce will almost certainly be an underlying factor as you try to navigate a path of communication with your spouse.

Choose a time when you are not feeling too much emotion to write down the things that need to be discussed like property separation, Domestic Divorce Services child support, child custody or alimony. Determine what you deem is fair and what needs to be negotiated. Approach the discussion with your spouse in a business-like manner. If emotions are running too high, consider seeking a divorce mediator to help you and your spouse reach some decisions.

Know When To Seek Help

In some cases, agreeing on any issue with your spouse may not be possible. In these cases, it is best to consult an experienced family law attorney. This allows you to move forward with the least amount of conflict or emotional upheaval. Since a divorce is a major life event, the decisions you make at this time will likely have a far-reaching impact. A good attorney can help you with specific divorce-related questions or provide advice on how to proceed if your case is complicated.

Types Of Divorces

In Maryland, you can file for divorce on different grounds, including adultery, desertion, felony conviction, insanity, and cruelty to a spouse or child. In most of these cases it is likely your spouse will disagree, and each spouse will likely need their own attorney.

If you and your spouse can agree on most issues, you may want to explore an uncontested divorce. An uncontested divorce means that you both agree on all the key issues and terms of the divorce. In some cases, you and your spouse must be separated for a year before the divorce is final. With an uncontested divorce, you can save time and money, but you must complete a settlement agreement and follow the procedures set forth by the courts. You may have an attorney perform the legal filings and ensure you follow all the requirements.

Maryland offers an uncontested mutual consent divorce, which allows you and your spouse to file for a divorce based on no-fault grounds, meaning neither you nor your spouse caused the divorce. With the mutual consent divorce, spouses don’t have to prove that they’ve been separated for at least one year, so depending on your individual situation, you can use this method and speed up the process.

What Type Of Divorce Is Best For Me?

While you can locate the correct forms and navigate the court system to file your own divorce, divorce law and procedures can vary from state to state or county to county. If you are unsure what type of divorce is best for you, consult an experienced family law attorney to help guide you.

If you reside in Maryland and you are looking for a flat-rate divorce attorney that can handle both uncontested and contested divorces, contact William Mulroney at the Mulroney Law Firm.