The Legal and Emotional Stages of Divorce
Divorce can be a long process and it won't happen overnight. Unless you and your spouse are able to reach a quick, amicable settlement, you should expect your divorce to last anywhere from six months to a year.
During that time, you will want a lawyer by your side who genuinely cares about your best interests - one who is compassionate when you experience emotional trauma, aggressive when the other party tries to violate your rights, and accessible whenever you call with questions or concerns.
For a low cost initial consultation with family law attorney Anne E. Raduns, call 352-433-4244 or contact our offices online. We can provide the service and the representation you need.
The Legal Stages of Divorce
Divorce is a complex legal procedure. However, the basic legal process follows a relatively rigid, simple structure, outlined below:
- One spouse files a petition for Dissolution of Marriage (it doesn't matter who files first - there is no advantage either way)
- The other spouse is served with divorce papers, and has 20 days to file an answer.
- Next is a period of mandatory disclosure. Both spouses turn over bank records, tax returns, 401(k)s and other financial statements so their attorneys can gain a sense of how to fairly divide the marital property.
- Meanwhile, there may be a temporary relief hearing where either spouse can ask for exclusive use and possession of the house as well as temporary spousal support, parenting time and child support arrangements.
- After the mandatory disclosure period, the parties go into mediation. If they can't resolve all their issues in mediation, the case must then go to trial.
- In divorces involving domestic violence, mediation may be excused and the case would go directly to trial.
The Emotional Stages of Divorce
At some point, you loved your spouse enough to marry him or her, and now you are filing for divorce. You can expect to experience powerful emotions as the process of divorce unfolds.
Handling family law exclusively, Anne E. Raduns has observed that people facing divorce often go through emotional stages similar to the stages of grieving and usually experience the strong emotions of:
- Anger and frustration
- Remorse and Sadness
- Guilt and Blame
- Resolution and Recovery
- And finally find the ability to move on with their lives
Of course, everyone experiences this process differently, and not every relationship falls neatly into this pattern. Usually, after a few months, the divorcing couple is able to communicate effectively again. After seven to eight months, most divorced individuals have recovered emotionally enough to stand on their own feet and regain a sense of normalcy in their lives.
For a low cost initial consultation at Anne E. Raduns, P.A., call our Ocala, Florida, law office today at 352-433-4244 or contact us online.
