It goes without saying, if you are considering a dissolution of marriage, think of your safety first and take steps to secure your safety and the safety of your children, even going as far as a domestic violence injunction if that’s what needs to be done to keep your children safe through this difficult time. After that, you should be focusing on your case and what you can do in preparation to prove your case and get what you need and deserve out of your divorce. Take it from this group of top divorce attorneys, you will need to start preparing for your divorce before you start to file, and as early as possible before that. If you think dissolution of marriage is even a remote possibility, there are some things you will need to start preparing for now!
Every day, top divorce attorneys talk to good, honest people that do not completely know what their and their spouse’s assets and liabilities are and do not have documentation for those assets and liabilities in court. They are emotionally shaken and thinking more about their current situation than what they put into the marriage and what they need to get out of it to survive in the future. They never thought they would be in the office of a divorce lawyer in Tampa, wondering what comes next. Some hardly believe they are in your office now, as if it’s all a play on someone else’ stage. You must be prepared before you initiate the divorce. You absolutely must be prepared with documentation of your claims and a good working knowledge of your assets and liabilities.
Unfortunately, there are many very strong emotions felt by each of the participants in a dissolution of marriage and none of them are love, compassion, understanding, kindness, or even helpfulness. If those things existed in your marriage, you wouldn’t feel the need to file for a dissolution of marriage or a traditional adversarial divorce. Also, this is someone you’ve lived in the same household with and trusted your life with. It’s easy to think “Sharon wouldn’t do that!” or “Bob, would never do that…would he? Naaaaaah!” You are entering into a phase of your relationship you have never been in before, where you and your partner may feel aggressively attacked by the other party. You do not know what might be done or hidden once the pain and anger of being asked for a dissolution of marriage hits your partner. In most dissolution of marriage cases, spouses do not gather this important information until their circumstance becomes desperate and by that time the important documents and information may be difficult or impossible to access without the help of the other disgruntled spouse. Documents may even “disappear.” Be prepared for any contingency by gathering this information and documentation before you file. There is very little chance that your soon-to-be-Ex will afford you the understanding it will take to make this information accessible to you once you have filed your dissolution of marriage request.
If you are considering a divorce, consult with a lawyer who has experience in collaborative divorce, mediation, and traditional adversarial divorce so you can receive insight on which type of divorce may be right for you. Seek out Tampa divorce attorneys with the knowledge you need. Seek out S. David Anton of Anton Legal Group!
David Anton is a third generation Tampa Bay attorney who has handled all aspects of dissolution actions since 1985.
FOR FAMILY LAW LEGAL ADVICE, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT US AT 813-443-5249.