Separation & Dissolution

Separating from your spouse or partner may be the most difficult experience of your life. You are faced with the difficult practical questions of where ill I live, when will I see my children, how will I afford the costs of living in two homes?  And the process questions will my spouse be reasonable or will he or she be influenced by the emotional agendas of family and friends or professionals who have biased financial interests.  Under these circumstances it is difficult to know who to trust and where you can turn to for help.

Whether by attorney negotiation, informal resolution or court intervention, you should work as quickly as possible to establish temporary agreements for living arrangements, access to children for each parent, and financial understandings. 

Once temporary needs are met, you may shift to less immediate information gathering which will lead to long-term problem solving. After a petition is filed with the court, a case file is created which is the container for all subsequent documents and “discovery” begins, the formal process of gathering needed information.  You will complete financial disclosures and exchange them with your spouse.  

Whether there are hearings will be determined by the degree of success of out-of-court negotiations.  The less that is able to be resolved, the more time will be spent in court. Eventually long-term resolution of all issues occurs either through a negotiated agreement or by court order.