Prime Divorce Do’s and Don’ts

With the festive season coming to an end, divorce lawyers are bracing themselves for the annual influx of work come the new year. This surge is owed to several factors, as statistics reveal, the biggest of which is people wanting to reboot their lives at the beginning of the year. Other factors include the duration of togetherness and the financial and emotional strains of the holiday season.

We’re still yet to see the impacts of Covid-19 on marital relationships, but, to a certain extent, lockdown protocols brought around similar pressures as that of Christmas. This included long periods of spending time together and increased financial burden.

If you relate to what we’ve stated above and are looking for an out from your relationship, it is important that you go about it in a dignified manner. To help you out, we’ve compiled some essential divorce do’s and don’ts, as stated by family law expert Michaela Evans.

Pexels |It’s best to consult a counselor first

DO’S

1. Take a deep breath. You need this time to reflect on your situation. Stay calm and try not to make any impulsive decisions. If you’re distressed, it is advised that you seek comfort in friends and family. If your condition is beyond informal help, it is better that you consult a doctor asap. The upcoming months will be strenuous and demanding, so you need to take good care of yourself both mentally and physically. 

2. Seek legal advice. Even if you have no plans of acting upon professional advice, knowledge won’t harm you. At this time, it is important that you know your rights and what options are at your disposal. In the end, acting upon these pieces of advice will be left completely up to you.

Pexels | You’ll need legal help to understand the process

3. Organize yourself. Before meeting your solicitor, however, you need to get your ducks in a row. Gather all necessary financial documents beforehand, and make a list of all the questions you have in mind. This will help ensure that you don’t skip any important information.

DON’TS

1. Panic. Panicking never does any good. Instead, focus on the facts and try to come out on the side of this situation as fine as possible. The legal system is in place to ensure you get what is rightfully yours. Work by the book and everything will be alright.

2. Seek revenge. Right now, nothing is more important than taking the moral high ground. Immaturely cutting up your ex’s clothes or burning their belongings might give you satisfaction in the moment but, will overall be very damaging to your case.

3. Try to hide money. Your finances are open to the court as soon as the divorce procedure starts. At this time, withdrawing a big amount and stashing it away “for the future” will only cause trouble for you. Money trails cannot be hidden or covered and you might, eventually, be penalized by the courts for your doings.

Pexels |You’ll get your due financial share after the divorce is finalized

4. Use children as weapons. It is common for children to get caught up in the process of divorce. This might even leave long-term trauma in their minds, and create unnecessary distress for them. Coming from a broken family is tough enough. Try not to make it harder on them.