For many, there seems to be an unspoken rule that divorces have to be a festival of bitterness, acrimony and vengeance; a sort of legal bloodbath. Often, there is a great deal of money at stake, a lot of hurt feelings and even the welfare of your children hanging in the balance. This doesn’t mean, however, that civility can’t prevail in these proceedings. The fact is that the quicker and more amicably a divorce is settled, the better off everyone involved will be, including your ex-spouse and your children. In an effort to buck trends and work toward a kinder, gentler divorce, here are a few things to consider:
Maturity and Mutual Respect Despite increasing criticism of the institution of marriage, a majority of marriages are indeed entered into out of love. This means that, despite what might be happening now, there was once something in your spouse that you loved and respected. Hold onto that when going through the divorce. Don’t let your ex take advantage of you, but don’t go out of your way to take advantage of them either.
Remember the Children If every bit of affection that you have for your ex is indeed dead, think of the children who may be suffering while their parents are going after each other in court. A messy divorce can inflict lasting emotional trauma on the children and cause them to form negative perceptions of marriage in their adult lives.
Choose an Emotionally Mature Attorney The unfortunate reality is that there are some lawyers who have a vested interest in dragging out your divorce in order to accumulate more billable hours. When you’re looking for a divorce attorney, you want to choose a professional who will make sure you’re treated fairly without trying to leave you penniless by the time your divorce is finalized.
Divorce is a fact of life, but it doesn’t have to be the ugly ordeal that everyone suggests.
For many years, Graziano & Flynn has been helping clients move through their divorces in minimal time and without collateral damage. Contact us today so we can begin to protect your interests regarding spousal support, child custody and more.
