dandylion

for any members who are contemplating or going through divorce....I thought I would post the following websites that might be of interest to you.
They cover the many different issues and challenges that one might encounter.....
***They are, in no way, to replace your own attorney or to be legal advice...but to be educational and a resource for finding help and information....

Divorce Advice, Laws, and Information from WomansDivorce.com
Divorce Source: divorce information, tools, and support community

dandylion

thousandwords53

..looks around....are you talking to...me? Perhaps? Lol. Thanks for the post Dandy.

dandylion

LOL...lol...lol!
Actually, you were not at the top of my mind.....but, now that you mention it.....

dandylion

CentralOhioDad

Was it me??!?!! (looking around nervously, biting nails...)

CentralOhioDad

And there's this:
Men's Divorce | Quality divorce information for men. | Cordell & Cordell

LexieCat

Just be a WEE bit careful on those "divorce for men" or "fathers' rights" websites. There are probably some great ones out there--I haven't done an exhaustive review--but some of them are havens for abusers who assert their "rights" to their children (whose mothers they are abusing).

You'll recognize them soon enough if you read between the lines--if there's a lot of stuff about protective orders being used as "weapons," etc., those are the ones I think lack all credibility. Not that nobody ever lies about abuse to get a leg up in a divorce, but in my experience it's pretty darned rare, and not the "epidemic" these sites claim that it is.

dandylion

CentralOhioDad....I cannot tell a lie....you were one of them...but, you were not alone!
I can see that you already have a source for yourself...good!

My divorce was before the internet...I wish I had had more advice around when I needed it, also....

LexieCat

Actually, the site COD posted looks pretty neutral. I didn't go through it in detail, but most of what I saw was good common-sense advice--no nefarious hidden agenda.

dandylion

Bump

Yurt

Ha Ha, Wish this had been posted two years ago. I started with a para legal, but he dropped the ball midway through. I wound up finishing the paper work myself. Could have saved myself hundreds of dollars if I had just taken care of it all myself in the first place.

honeypig

And I'll just add that, depending on your situation and where you live, you may be able to do what is called a "pro se" divorce. It does not involve a lawyer, but rather the concerned parties handle the paperwork themselves. Obviously this can save thousands of dollars in legal fees, but both parties have to be on board 100%.

This is what I did, but in my situation, there were no children, there was no debt, and there was no disagreement between XAH and I about who got what, and I don't think that is how things are for most members here who are contemplating divorce.

I was fortunate enough to stumble across a lawyer who was willing to work with me on a "consult only" basis, charging only for the minimal amount of time she spent advising me and checking my paperwork to make sure I had crossed all my t's and dotted all my i's. I was leery of going for my "free initial consultation" but extremely glad I did so. I'd urge anyone who is thinking of divorce or separation to talk to a lawyer and get the facts--things may be vastly different than you imagine.

Also, again depending on your situation and where you live, legal separation might be a helpful option, but checking w/a lawyer on this would be important. From what I understand, some states don't recognize separation, and in those that do, it can mean different things, such as whether you are still responsible for any debts the A incurs after the separation or not.

Carol Star

I went to the library and read up on my states laws.

LexieCat

That's a good thing to do, but it doesn't replace competent legal advice. I'm a lawyer, myself, and the only time I didn't consult one was for my divorce from my second husband, in which there was literally nothing that could go wrong. No kids, no joint debts/assets, and we'd been married less than a year when I filed. A lawyer who practices divorce law in your jurisdiction will know the "lay of the land" in the courts of that jurisdiction, be familiar with the practices of the judges--how they generally rule on various issues--and also be familiar with the case law interpreting the statutes and court rules governing divorce. Even if you have to PAY for a consult, it's money well spent.

CentralOhioDad

I paid for all 3 of mine - from $100 to $300.