Getting divorced is never an easy decision. When you got married, you promised to commit yourself to your spouse for the rest of your life. But just because that was the right decision when you were younger doesn’t mean it’s the right decision now.
For most people, the first step to getting a divorce is to contact a divorce lawyer. This is a difficult step, but you can make it easier if you prepare properly. Hopefully, contacting a divorce lawyer feels liberating rather than frightening. Preparing in the following ways can help.
Don’t Make Any Irreversible Decisions
While many people think that speaking with a family law lawyer is the point of no return, that isn’t the case. Your initial meeting is just a consultation. You haven’t committed to filing for divorce. All you have done is speak with a professional who understands the process better than you do.
Many potential clients will become clients after an initial consultation. However, others will learn about other options and choose to pursue those instead. You should leave all possible doors open until you have to start closing them.
You should avoid doing anything irreversible until after the consultation. It’s probably better not to tell your spouse that you are consulting with a divorce lawyer and you shouldn’t move out of your house (unless it is unsafe to stay).
Preserve Documents
Assuming you get a divorce in North Dakota, your assets will be divided, either by the court or by mutual agreement with your spouse. However, before your assets can be divided, they need to be determined.
This means your attorney will need full documentation of every asset belonging to you and your spouse, both separately and jointly. Digital records are relatively easy to acquire these days, but some records are only on paper.
You should start preserving copies of all documents as soon as you start considering divorce. Once the divorce process begins, you might have difficulty accessing some documents.
Secure Access to Assets
Once the divorce starts, you might discover that your spouse has effectively cut off your access to things like credit cards or bank accounts. This is a dangerous situation to be in. You should ensure access to all assets once the process begins.
This means you might need to make arrangements with financial institutes to have private credentials to an account or to send statements to you through a method other than your spouse’s email or address. Regaining access after you have lost it is a lot harder than securing access beforehand.
Calculate Child Support
If you have taken all of the recommended steps above, you should have a very clear sense of your financial position and the financial position of your spouse. Based on that information, you should be able to calculate child support payments, if applicable.
North Dakota requires these calculations in any divorce that involves children, even if the parents agree to a different level of support. The judge may accept the alternate agreement made by the parents, but they want to see what the state guidelines suggest before making any decisions.
By making these calculations before speaking to an attorney, you protect the best interests of your children.
Move to a Safe Place if Necessary
If you or your children are victims of physical, emotional, or financial abuse, escaping that situation needs to be your highest priority. You don’t need to talk to a divorce attorney before leaving your home.
If you have left your home to protect yourself or your children, inform your lawyer as soon as possible during the initial consultation. Your lawyer may be able to take steps to protect you better. They may even be able to get you back into your home safely and keep your spouse out of it.
Conversely, if you wait to move until after you have consulted with a divorce lawyer, your abusive spouse might learn about the meeting and become even more abusive.
Contact Heartland Law Office for Assistance With Divorce
If you are considering divorce, you shouldn’t try to go through the process alone. The experienced family law lawyers at Heartland Law Office can help you understand your rights and options.
Making an informed decision will help make the process go more smoothly and, in some cases, may even give you a path to save your marriage. Contact Heartland Law Office today to schedule a consultation with a divorce attorney who cares.