The decision to get a divorce can be complex and fraught with lots of emotions. What’s more, it’s a topic that generates a lot of talk—whether between couples, in social circles, and of course, in the media.
We know the headlines, but much less discussed are the details of how you should proceed with a divorce. If you have made the decision to end your marriage (or even if you’re on the receiving end of that decision), it’s essential that you’re prepared for every step of the process. That includes how you would like to see your divorce unfold.
From resolving divorce and family law disputes to filing forms and understanding legal regulations, there are several advantages to moving through the divorce process with an experienced attorney—one that is the right fit for you—by your side.
Here are five ways you can benefit from working with a New Jersey family law attorney.
1. An advocate in and out of the courtroom
Hiring a divorce attorney can ensure that you have someone on your side, keeping your best interests in mind, even in highly emotional moments.
This support should begin before you even file a single document. Your attorney can ask the important questions about what you’d like the outcome of your divorce to include—and, just as importantly, what your goals are for the future.
Once they understand your needs and priorities, they can help you create a personalized and comprehensive strategy.
Is your relationship with your ex amicable? A divorce attorney can help you navigate alternative dispute resolution methods such as mediation to come up with a divorce settlement outside of court, potentially saving you time and money. Struggling with a stressful relationship with your former partner? An attorney can help you stay focused on what’s important to you while identifying the right tactics to resolve issues.
2. Negotiation experience
Even amicable divorces may have sources of tension. It’s common for there to be areas where you and your former partner disagree, such as parenting time plans or division of assets. Negotiations can be stressful, but having the support of a divorce attorney with extensive negotiation experience (and one who understands how to speak for the unique person you are) can help you feel more confident.
Even in what you believe is an uncontested divorce, it’s not uncommon for either party to change their mind about a specific issue or rethink some things once they sit down to iron out the details.
In the event that your divorce becomes contested, you’ll already have legal representation who’s ready to fight for you and your best interests, while keeping solutions on the horizon.
3. Knowledge of the nitty-gritty filing process
Divorce comes with a massive amount of paperwork and court-required filings, each with specific deadlines and strict requirements. Figuring them all out can feel like walking through a maze.
What’s more, if you miss a deadline or file documents incorrectly, there could be consequences for your case, from delayed timelines to added costs to simply added stress. A popular writer once wrote on Twitter that the process of getting a divorce felt like an extra part-time job.
But working with a divorce attorney can alleviate the pressure of managing all of these details. They help you feel more confident that your divorce is moving forward (no matter how slowly it seems to crawl) by ensuring that all of your paperwork and documents are filed correctly and on time.
4. Objectivity in child custody cases
Parenting time and child custody agreements are critical elements of divorce for couples who have children. Both parents often want what’s best for their children but have very different ideas about what that means. What’s more, these wishes can prompt strong emotional reactions.
But when you feel strongly about issues concerning your child, it can be hard to step back and assess things clearly.
Your divorce attorney plays an important role in helping you prioritize your goals for child custody and parenting time. Is it important to you that you spend holidays together? Would you like your child to remain at their current school? Does your job require you to work unusual hours or travel extensively? Your attorney can work with you and come up with a plan that keeps you focused on what’s important, what can work, and what won’t work based on your family’s specifics.
Mediation is another benefit that an attorney may bring to the table. A family law attorney who can serve as a neutral mediator can help you and your soon-to-be ex come to a mutual agreement, working to ensure that the outcomes of the process are as agreeable as possible for the parents and children alike.
5. Awareness of long-term impacts
An attorney with extensive experience in family law can do more than just help you achieve a desired result—they also understand the future impacts of the legally binding agreements you make today.
Because married couples often merge their finances, it can be difficult for both parties to make decisions when dividing their assets and moving forward. For example, you might want to continue residing in your family home, but are also worried about the impact it may have on your tax status and whether it will create financial difficulties for you in the future.
A knowledgeable and forward-facing divorce attorney will help you spot issues like this and others while creating your settlement and provide the guidance you need to avoid potential problems on the road ahead.
Need a New Jersey divorce attorney? Jacobs Berger is here to help.
Going through a divorce can be a complicated and distressing process, but you don’t have to go it alone. Our solution-oriented, compassionate attorneys will work with you and provide clear communication throughout your journey to help de-stress the divorce process and get you what you need to move forward with the best results possible.
Make an appointment to coordinate your strategy session with our team.
