3 Things You Will Need to File for Divorce

After a period of separation, you and your spouse may have decided that divorce is the best possible option for everyone involved. While divorce is never a simple decision, particularly when children are affected, the legal process does not necessarily need to be particularly dramatic.

For parents, plenty of the complexities of divorce will come into play once battles over custody, visitation, and child support begin. For divorcing spouses without children, the issue of property and asset division is still likely to cause challenges.

However, once you and your spouse have made the difficult decision to part ways, it is advisable to file for divorce as soon as possible, with the help of reputable legal counsel. After 25 years as a practicing attorney and nearly as many years working specifically in the field of family law, Sean Cox has found at least three commonalities in every divorce case.

FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS

The outcome of your divorce case is likely to be more positive if you go in with the proper documentation from the beginning. Most divorce cases rely fairly heavily on financial documentation, from account records, phone records, mortgages, and shared debts. Obtain records of shared online accounts—and divorce attorneys recommend that the serving spouse make copies of everything. Your spouse may not appreciate being served with divorce papers and react with hostility.

A CUSTODY PLAN IN MIND

Since divorce courts don’t favor men or women and typically grant shared custody, barring circumstances of extreme neglect or abuse. As such, you and your spouse should be aware of the likelihood that you will be sharing custody of your minor children. Many couples file for divorce without planning for this inevitability.

COMPLETION OF PURCHASES AND SALES

If you have been putting off selling a car, property, or another asset, it is best to do so before filing for divorce. In Michigan, judges are likely to automatically issue an order prohibiting you from buying or selling marital assets, to give each spouse a fair shot at obtaining what is rightfully theirs. Make all major purchases and sales before filing.

Divorce is messy, but the legal process of filing doesn’t need to be, with the help of trusted legal counsel. Sean Cox Law has been practicing in the Grand Rapids area for over twenty years. Before you file, speak to a trusted divorce attorney in Grand Rapids Mi.