At the Harris Family Law Group, our Los Angeles family law attorney knows that divorce is never easy. Even when they share similar circumstances, the details and timing are different for everyone in California.
They all take time, effort, and money to get from the initial decision to dissolve the marriage through a final divorce agreement.
While all divorces are unique, contested divorces — where the spouses cannot agree on the details of their divorce without the court’s interference — require negotiating a divorce settlement, attending court hearings, and possibly participating in litigation.
Our divorce attorneys know contested divorces place even more strain on the parting couple’s physical, emotional, and financial well-being, but they also take a lot more time than their uncontested counterparts.
The bigger question becomes, can a contested divorce be avoided? The answer is, it depends.
Here is why.
There are multiple reasons why one or both spouses contest their divorces.
Some reasons are purely personal, and others are to avoid a one-sided or unfair divorce settlement.
In some cases, one spouse may assume they are entitled to an unreasonable divorce settlement and will fight for what they may believe is most or all the family’s property or assets.
Conversely, one spouse may not want to split the marital assets fairly, assuming the other is not entitled to them. Typically, once both spouses understand our California divorce laws and how community property and equitable distribution work, it can help ease the tension.
Other contested divorces stem from child custody concerns, and what one parent may believe is the best interests of the children. These can be quite contentious, especially when domestic violence was an issue in the home, or when one spouse is simply unwilling to part with the children under any circumstances. These, too, are points of contention that may be cleared up when the laws surrounding both issues are clearly explained to both parties.
Divorce is a perfect example of the adage, “You don’t know what you don’t know.”
Many couples have no idea what to expect from the divorce process, which can lead to neither spouse wanting to “lose.”
And with no standardized outcomes to serve as guidelines, one spouse may assume he or she is entitled to everything.
Unfortunately, that is where contested divorces begin.
Our skilled family lawyers in Los Angeles, California help ground our clients by providing the knowledge, resources, and legal experience they need to make informed decisions about their futures, so they can put their divorces behind them quickly and effectively.
Our family law mediation attorneys help our clients rise above the temptation to fight over every issue by exploring alternative dispute resolution options that allow them to negotiate the details of their divorce.
Divorce mediation allows spouses to work through most issues and compromise on others to help reduce the stress involved in the legal proceedings.
Mediation is also typically quicker and less expensive than divorce litigation and allows both spouses to maintain control of the process, instead of handing their futures over to a judge.
We can help provide sound solutions that lead to actual results.
If you believe your spouse is dragging out your divorce for any reason, we can help you move things along by scheduling a free consultation today by calling (310) 745-8644.
At the Harris Family Group, our Los Angeles divorce attorneys collaborate with clients using flat fees, instead of billable hours, which allows you to plan your expenditures upfront, so you can have confidence in your financial future.
