Divorce

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Divorce can be a difficult life event. When it occurs, the goal should always be a favorable result.

Important rights are determined such as custody and parental rights, financial and property rights, child support, maintenance (also known as alimony), and equitable distribution which is the division of the assets and responsibility for the debts. These issues will often have a significant impact on the divorcing spouses for many years to come and long after the divorce is done. It is most important to do it right.

Divorces can be done by Mediation, Collaborative Divorce, or Contested Divorce. Determining which course to take at the outset is most important. You want to go forward using the best method for you and for your circumstances.

Mediation and Collaborative

Mediation and Collaborative are often a far better alternative to Contested Divorce – including for high income and property cases and complex custodial or property issues. Many cases do not need a Contested Divorce to resolve their issues – even where there are strong disagreements or bad feelings between the parties at the outset. Mediation and Collaborative enables divorcing spouses to understand their rights, to resolve their issues favorably, and to do so with less cost, stress and time. It enables divorcing spouses to chart their own course and control their own destinies.

It is not unusual for parties to land in a contested litigation because one or both of the spouses simply did not consider their alternatives. Once a contested divorce starts it often becomes more difficult for the parties to resolve their issues. A contested divorce can take on a life of its own. In the end, the majority of contested divorce cases will ultimately settle anyway – but only after unnecessary cost and stress that could have been easily avoided. 

Contested Divorce

Sometimes a Contested Divorce is the right alternative. In those cases, going to court is not only the best alternative but it is the needed course. Some examples are when it is clear that one or both parties will not negotiate in good faith, or when support is not being met, emergency circumstances. In these cases, attempts at settlement through Mediation or Collaborative can not only be a waste of money and time, but may be a disadvantage by losing time, irreparable changes, opportunity loss and otherwise. 

Experience

There is no substitute for experience, knowledge and skill to know how your case should be pursued at the outset and before a course is taken that may be difficult to change.

The guidance and advice of an experienced divorce attorney is necessary for you to know your rights, to have your case handled right from start to finish, and to get a favorable result. The guidance of an experienced divorce attorney will enable you to have a favorable result without needless cost and attorney fees, without needless delay, without needless stress for yourself and your children, and without unnecessary protracted legal proceedings.

Jerry Kugelmas is an experienced attorney with over 38 years of experience in family law. He advises his clients thoughtfully from the outset, enabling them to make rational choices rather than acting on the anger and emotion that often leads to poor choices. While divorce is unavoidably difficult for many people, the process and the process should not be - and the outcome should be favorable. Having your case done right is the only way it should be done. That is how every case is handled by the law office of Jerry Kugelmas.