Every single year, hundreds of thousands of Americans will file for divorce, but most of them won’t know what to expect. Stepping into a divorce without planning can lead you straight into some big yet preventable mistakes. If you don’t want to jeopardize your best interests in your divorce, it pays to know what mistakes to look for and how to sidestep them.
Consider this list of common yet overlooked mistakes people make when filing for divorce:
- Filing when angry: When you’re angry, your emotions are calling the shots, whether you realize it or not. You should try to resist making any legal decision, especially a divorce that will affect the rest of your life, when you are still fuming after a fight or argument. This is not to say that you should steer completely clear of divorce, but take a few days to cool off so you can approach the situation with a level-head.
- Getting your kids involved: The process and outcome of your divorce will be heavily influenced by whether or not you have children with your spouse. But this does not mean that your children should become heavily involved with the problems between you and your spouse. Trying to pull your children into your divorce can be damaging to their personal developments and may also reinforce the negative idea that it is “you versus your spouse.” Ideally, you will be able to show them that unity can still exist in the face of adversity by remaining civil and cooperative.
- Rushing ahead: No doubt once you are confident that you want a divorce, you will also want it to be over as soon as possible. Feeling trapped inside an unhappy marriage is understandably stifling. Intentionally rushing through the process and not double-checking each stipulation and agreement is folly, however. Try to keep your attention on the outcome that is on its way, but not necessarily when it gets there.
This is only a brief list of big mistakes you need to avoid when you are filing for divorce. Of course, there are many other missteps you could stumble over if you are not familiar with the process. At TJC • ESQ, we hope to remove the guesswork from our clients’ divorce cases and guide them to the solution that works best for them. Rather than wondering if you handled everything correctly, retain the services of our Rhode Island divorce lawyers and know for certain.
Contact our law firm at your earliest convenience if you would like to know more about your divorce options.
