Three Things You Should Know Before Filing for Divorce

While in many cases, divorce allows former spouses to move forward from conflict, reevaluate priorities, and learn to co-parent efficiently, the early stages of separation can be challenging. If you or someone you know is considering divorce, we encourage you to become more familiar with the process.

Before filing for divorce, you should be aware of the following:

1. Options that would meet your specific needs: Do you have minor children? Have you heard about parenting plans? Are you familiar with collaborative divorce? Did you know that mediation is generally required in the state of Florida? These are all questions to ask yourself before pursuing the divorce process.

For parents with children, it is important to consider how to navigate co-parenting successfully. The two of you should be on the same page regarding important timelines and the overall needs of your family. Children often have full schedules including school engagements, after school activities, etc. Also, it is important to make sure birthdays and holidays are accounted for in your conversations and development of a parenting plan. Perhaps you and your former spouse have a general idea of how many overnight visits each of you would like with the children. Discussing such details in the beginning of the divorce process may alleviate tension as you move forward.

In order to avoid court fees and increased wait times to appear in front of a judge, mediation is an imperative step in Florida divorce proceedings. Unlike a full trial, meditation is typically resolved with attorneys and an impartial (third-party) mediator. This route allows former spouses to directly contribute to solutions that will impact the outcome of their case.

As suggested by its name, collaborative divorce involves an environment where both parties work together with trained professionals to come to a resolution in the best interest of the family as a whole. When couples choose collaborative divorce, they work with an entire team including the attorneys on both sides, a mediator, financial professional and mental health counselor.

2. Potential timelines for a resolution: According to DivorceNet, on average a divorce case can take 6 months + to complete. Timelines are often determined by how long it takes for parties to agree on child support payments, custody (timesharing), visitation, division of property and debts, and alimony. Cases where former couples can come to an agreement rather quickly may be resolved in a matter of weeks.

3. Associated costs: In addition to initial consultation fees, many attorneys have specific hourly rates depending on certifications, years of experience, educational background, etc. When you are searching for an attorney to represent you in your divorce, you may want to ask about the costs that will accumulate throughout your case.

Should you be interested in discussing further details of divorce or dissolution of marriage, contact us today.

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