Even an amicable divorce can be hard. So, if you’re hoping to settle your divorce with speed and ease, make sure to avoid these common complications that often derail the process. A civil divorce may be all but impossible if you and your estranged spouse aren’t communicating. An uncontested divorce mutually desired by both parties is the foundation of a fast divorce, but there are still issues that can derail your amicable decoupling.
Common Complications Can Derail Your Divorce
A divorce doesn’t have to be a long and drawn out, and if you and your spouse are on the same page regarding the divorce, avoiding common complications can be sure to keep you on track to dissolve your marriage in mere months.
Here are three of the most common divorce complications:
Legal Problems: Domestic violence, harassment, or legal problems of any kind can put your divorce proceedings on hold until any criminal or related civil court issues are resolved. Unfortunately, domestic violence is a very serious problem in the United States. According to the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy, almost 20 percent of all domestic relationships among intimate partners involve physical assault. When someone is trapped in an abusive relationship, working to end the marriage can be particularly difficult. Filing for an order of protection to advert further abuse can take time, making divorce from an abusive relationship tricky. Marriages end for a variety of reasons, and significant issues like a physical assault that rises to the level of criminal charges can push your divorce into the background as you work to resolve your legal issues.
Lie, Cheat, or Steal: Once a divorce is on the table, it can be tempting to try to take what is yours, start dating before the divorce is final, or hide assets. While one can certainly date before the divorce is final – it’s not illegal – it can derail the process and cause hurt feelings leading to stalled negotiations and any hope of reaching a mutual settlement agreement. Filing for divorce isn’t the time to create new wounds by lying, cheating, or stealing. It’s easier than you realize to unintentionally complicate your divorce by simply doing the things you think will move you forward in your new life. Taking property that may feel like it belongs to you or moving assets into a new individual account can seem like moving on, but it can be interpreted by your spouse as duplicitous.
Family Planning Issues: An unplanned pregnancy, whether conceived within the marriage or by an outside party, can be an incendiary issue. When pregnancy and divorce coincide, the court requires clarifications for the financial support of the unborn child. A pregnancy that is created from the marriage can result in long, fraught custody negotiations, and if the pregnancy is from an outside relationship, and can require testing and legal documentation to establish paternity. These are complicated issues that require time and finesse and could derail an otherwise on course divorce process.
Much of the divorce process is about reaching compromises and finding a way to negotiate difficult and sometimes painful topics tactfully. A Miami divorce lawyer can help you and your spouse keep on track and avoid the retaliation and vengefulness that can result from working through sensitive issues commonly negotiated during a divorce. Couples must work hard to prevent anger and hurt feelings from disrupting or extending the negotiation process during a divorce.
Beatriz Zyne, P.A., can develop a strategy for your divorce in Miami. Call us now at (305) 876-6138 to schedule a consultation.