1. Decide What You Want Your Divorce To Look Like
Your legal divorce is about dividing up your property and assets, making arrangements for your children and support if needed, as well as getting a piece of paper that declares you are free to remarry if you choose.
This process can be done reasonably civilly or as a ‘drag em out, knock em down, no holds barred” emotional slugfest.
Even when people start off with good intentions, it takes very little to stir up heated emotions, greed and the desire to extract your pound of flesh. As soon as one spouse runs off to a lawyer, the other has little choice but to follow suit and immediately the legal meter has just doubled.
Pretty soon, the lawyers are exchanging letters, filing motions and following standard lawyer-type procedures. Next, you have a contested divorce, escalating legal fees and two very upset spouses.