Divorce Mistakes to Avoid

By McCabe Russell | September 10, 2014

Divorce mistakes can be costly in the high stakes of divorce and separation.  Here are a few mistakes to avoid as you move through your Maryland divorce:

  1. Don’t Predict You Are Going To Win It All
    Don’t brag to anyone, especially the spouse from whom you are separated. Boasting usually escalates conflict, which inevitably increases your legal costs. More problematic is that by focusing on the wrong thing, you take away valuable time and resources from your true goals.
  2. Don’t Use Your Lawyer As A Therapist
    This is one of the most common mistakes people make during the divorce process. Many people want to call their attorney every time the other party does something “bad,” regardless of whether or not there is any legal relevance. Try to remember the purpose for which you retained counsel. Let your lawyer guide you through your legal matter and don’t rely on him or her for things outside his or her area of expertise. You’ll save money, have better results, and be happier.
  3. Don’t Allow Your Emotions to Control Your Case.
    Making decisions based on your emotions or spouse’s actions is a pitfall you want to avoid. While it is not unusual to have some level of resentment towards your spouse during divorce proceedings, letting those feelings dictate the terms of your litigation will cause you to lose sight of your goals, and inevitably result in higher attorney’s fees.

A good attorney will remind you of each of these things as you move through the divorce and separation process, but it can help to write down your own goals at the get-go and check back in with those goals from time to time: are you moving toward them? Are they the same? Do you need to communicate with your counsel about them?

Posted in divorce, goals