My finances are tight, how can I possibly afford to divorce?
A number of Americans say they would have a hard time coming up with an extra $1,000 cash for an unexpected expense. Even in affluent communities like New Haven and Fairfield County, there are those among us who would have a hard time affording a minor medical or personal emergency.
Everyone knows that a divorce (not unlike a wedding) is costly.There is good reason for same, as a tremendous amount of discovery processes, negotiating, meeting court deadlines and requirements, and preparing for and conducting hearings and trials, requires hard work.
The good news is that a divorce need not cost an arm a leg. When the stakes are high, whether your marital estate is close to the median number in the region or is qualified as“high-net-worth”, the legal expenses necessary to carry a case to conclusion may be considerable; but this is money well-spent because being unrepresented or under-represented can result in errors on your part that could have been avoided.
Many divorcing middle-class and upper-middle class couples in communities such as New Haven, Bridgeport, Westport, Danbury, and Stamford have a general idea about what a fair settlement means for them. The contentious issues that sometimes arise may be when parties do not agree on how to carve up the marital estate, are seeking to place fault on their spouse for the breakdown of the marriage, or have different expectations for child custody and parenting access time.
Most divorces don’t go to trial: many settle utilizing ADR methods like mediation, arbitration, negotiation, or taking advantage of the judicial branch’s methods of pretrial, special masters, and court-annexed mediation services. There will be a period of discovery and potentially some motions back and forth (if necessary for your matter), but most matters that utilize an ADR option result in less time in court.
Far and away the most cost-effective way to achieve a fair settlement at a fraction of the cost of dragging each other through the litigation system is to opt for a mediated divorce. If the issues between the parties are amenable to a reasonable settlement without the need for a lot of back-and-forth, you can save a lot of money on court costs and other legal expenses.
Keep in mind that any settlement you reach between you and your spouse will have to be memorialized in writing and approved by a judge. For that reason, your best chance of avoiding expensive, time-wasting do-overs is to hire a qualified professional to help you avoid the stumbling blocks you may not anticipate.
Hirsch Legal, LLC offers a comprehensive list of legal services, including efficient divorce mediation and effective litigation for divorce or custody matters. Our principal attorney, Carmina K. Hirsch, will help you design the appropriate route for your matter, options for which can be discussed at the initial consultation. Call or email us today to schedule your consultation.piggy