If your marriage reaches an untimely end, you need to be prepared to protect your assets and emotional health. This is likely going to be an exhausting and traumatic experience for you. A divorce is so much more than just signing a piece of paper. It’s a total alteration of your life that you may not be prepared for, especially if you are the one who is served. It’s important that you protect yourself with the help of a St. Louis, MO, divorce lawyer.
Is a Divorce Lawyer Really Important to Have?
Hiring the right divorce lawyer to represent your interests may be the most important decision you make throughout your entire divorce. If this is your first divorce, you may not entirely know what to expect. It’s highly likely that your spouse is going to hire a divorce lawyer of their own to represent their interests, and the last thing you want is to be caught unprepared. Divorces can be unpredictable and emotionally draining. A good lawyer can help you stay focused.
Making sure you have someone on your side who knows what to expect and has experience in handling cases like yours can be crucial in a divorce. Your lawyer can make sure you don’t make any big mistakes, meet all vital filing deadlines, and defend your interests from parties who may be seeking to take advantage of you in some way. After all, your divorce is likely going to get fairly complex before it’s over.
Some marriages end quite amicably, with both spouses working out mutually beneficial agreements for asset division, spousal support, and even child custody. Regrettably, many marriages end contentiously, leading to a brutal, personal, and often painful divorce. In these cases, having an experienced divorce lawyer is not only recommended but necessary. Your lawyer’s primary goal is to make sure your spouse can’t take advantage of you in the divorce.
Contested vs. Uncontested
Generally, there are only two forms that your divorce can take in Missouri. Unfortunately, which one you get may not be your choice. Ultimately, it’s up to the spouse who files. Missouri is a no-fault divorce state, which means neither spouse has to prove wrongdoing of any kind to move forward with a divorce. If you are unhappy and no longer wish to stay in the marriage, that is your decision to make. Your spouse can contest it, but they can’t stop it.
The easiest route to take is an uncontested divorce. In this case, both spouses have likely fallen out of love and have realized that they are unhappy. It’s not personal, nobody’s trying to hurt anyone, and both spouses can reach an agreement on the various aspects of the divorce. You may decide to give the court your divorce agreement, and the court may consider the details if both spouses agree to abide by it. If the agreement is fair, the court will likely approve it.
Then, there’s a contested divorce, which is all too common. Divorce is not always something mutual that both spouses agree would make them happy. Many times, divorce is the result of one spouse betraying the other. Divorce often happens as a result of infidelity, abuse, manipulation, and resentment. If one spouse decides to file for divorce, the other may see it as an outright betrayal and refuse to cooperate in any way. This won’t stop the divorce, but it can make it complicated.
FAQs
Q: Is It Really Necessary to Hire a Divorce Lawyer?
A: Yes, hiring a divorce lawyer is really necessary. When you get divorced, you may be faced with a great deal of legal trouble you either don’t understand or won’t know about until you’ve already missed the filing deadline. An experienced divorce lawyer can keep track of everything you need to do. They can represent your interests during negotiations and make sure your spouse doesn’t take advantage of you by demanding more than they deserve.
Q: How Long Will My Divorce Take?
A: Unfortunately, there’s no definitive way to tell how long your divorce is going to take. Every divorce case is different, and some are considerably more complex due to high-value assets or child custody arrangements. If neither spouse is willing to reach a compromise, that can cause the entire process to take longer, too. Ultimately, your divorce is going to take as long as it needs to take to fully finalize.
Q: Is There a Difference Between Divorce and Legal Separation?
A: Yes, there is a significant difference between divorce and legal separation. While both processes involve legal documentation that separates a couple, divorce is the only one that’s permanent. In a legal separation, both spouses are still married on paper, but they are living separately and free to do what they want, aside from getting married to someone else. Legal separation can be a way to “try out” a divorce without committing to a permanent solution.
Q: How Do I Start the Divorce Process?
A: The most effective and recommended way to begin the divorce process is by speaking with an experienced divorce lawyer. If you feel that your marriage is done and you want a way out, you should consult someone who knows what you can expect. A good lawyer can guide you through your options, from divorce to legal separation, and give you good advice on how to proceed.
Reach Out to an Experienced Divorce Lawyer Today
A divorce is going to be an emotionally and mentally draining process, regardless of whether it’s contested or uncontested. Ultimately, it’s still the end of your marriage, and that can be a difficult fact to come to terms with. With the help of an experienced divorce lawyer, you can weigh your options and proceed carefully. A good lawyer can provide you with peace and reassurance that your case is being handled the right way.
The legal team at Stange Law Firm knows how to represent you through a divorce, and we are willing to provide you with the assistance and advocacy you need. Contact us to speak to someone on our team about your case.
