Written by: HHLaw (View All Posts
) Published: February 13, 2019
Categorized: Family Law.
Divorce can be complicated. It can take more time and cost more money than people expect, which is why people often seek out ways to make the process easier and less demanding. However, not all the methods people seek out are helpful. Some ultimately do more harm than good.
Below are three common missteps people make during a divorce in the interest of saving time, money or energy.
Prioritizing speed over fairness
It is crucial to be thorough when reviewing offers and agreements, which can be difficult if you are hoping to get through the process quickly. However, seeking a fair agreement takes time. As such, do not agree to something you don’t understand or haven’t thought through in the interest of “getting it over with.”
It is important to navigate the process carefully and diligently:
- Read all the agreements
- Know what you are signing
- Make sure you sign and retain copies of all your paperwork
- Do not be afraid to ask questions, even if you feel they are silly or obvious
This is your life and your future; take the time to ensure you are informed.
Making informal agreements
It takes time and resources to work through the legal system. In effort to avoid the seemingly cumbersome nature of the process, parties might create their own arrangements without legal guidance or court approval and hope that suffices. However, this could lead to miscommunication and disputes. And without a formal order, courts won’t have anything to enforce.
Instead, parties can utilize efficient – yet still valid – solutions. For instance, they can choose mediation over litigation, or they can secure temporary court orders until permanent orders are in place.
Being dishonest
During a divorce, some people engage in deceitful behaviours because they think it will get them a better outcome or make the process easier. They might leave out financial information or otherwise violate financial disclosure laws, or they might tell lies about the other person’s parenting abilities.
However, if you lie under oath or in legal documents, you can face serious criminal charges and financial penalties. Further, a previously uncontested divorce could become a contested divorce, which only adds more complexity and contention to the situation.
Making these mistakes can be costly on many levels. As such, it is best to avoid them.
