Do you help your clients prepare for a contested divorce litigation?

Do you help your clients prepare for a contested divorce litigation?

We do advise clients on how to prepare for contested divorce litigation. If someone is thinking of filing for divorce or if they have learned their spouse may be filing for divorce, the sooner they see us the more we can do to help them prepare for it. In terms of the types of things one can to do be prepared, there are a few basics which would be helpful to anyone regardless of the issues in their case.

Pull together basic information about yourself and your family including important dates and major events in the marriage. Develop a list of all known assets and liabilities including how they are titled and what you think they are worth. Write down a key list of people who might be good witnesses for your case. Copy and preserve important documents like tax returns, bank statements, real estate records, email correspondence or electronic files, and store them in a safe place.

Understand that contested divorce litigation is a process not an event. Do what you need to do to mentally steer yourself for the emotional part of the process. That may mean considering therapy or reaching out to core family and friends to tell them you’re going to need to lean on them a little more than usual in the near future. There’s a strong possibility that at least one or more things will be said or done during the process that will upset or hurt you. A good support system is important to help you through the rough spots.

Family lawyers Heather Collier and Erik Arena are partners at Dragga, Hannon, and Wills law firm in Rockville Maryland. Heather has been recognized as a “Super Lawyer” in the area of family law for the fourth consecutive year, and selected to the Super Lawyers’ list of Top 50 Women Attorneys in Maryland. Erik has also been named a “Super Lawyer” in family law, and a “Best Lawyer” in Maryland family law by Best Lawyers in America. To learn how Heather, Erik, and the team at Dragga, Hannon, and Wills can help you choose the right dispute-resolution process for your divorce, please visit DraggaLaw.com.