When to Get a Lawyer for Divorce

Divorce can be one of the most emotionally and financially stressful experiences you ever go through, and finding an attorney that resonates with your approach to it will be crucial in getting through it successfully.

Ask potential attorneys for references from former clients and check the state bar association website to see if there have been any complaints against them. In addition, look for one who will work collaboratively with both you and your spouse for optimal outcomes.

1. When You and Your Spouse Can’t Agree on Child Custody or Visitation

Idealistically, spouses should collaborate to determine custody and visitation arrangements; however, not all couples can achieve this feat.

If you and your spouse cannot come to an agreement on these issues, legal assistance may be needed. Divorce lawyers can assist in developing a strategy that protects both of your best interests while reaching an accord between yourselves.

A judge must make decisions based on what is in the best interests of your children, which includes their ages and relationships to each parent as well as factors like home environments and witnesses such as friends, family members and teachers.

If you and your spouse can’t agree on child custody or visitation issues, hiring a divorce attorney may help to resolve them in court. Furthermore, they may assist with other contested issues like property division, spousal support and more.

2. When You and Your Spouse Can’t Agree on Property Division

If you and your spouse cannot reach an agreement regarding issues like custody, child support, or property division, legal help could be essential in reaching a fair agreement. This is particularly true if they already hired an attorney as this creates a power imbalance making it harder to reach an equitable solution.

An experienced divorce attorney can guide you through the process of dividing property and debts, from identifying all marital and divisible assets and their values, to filing an Affidavit of Equitable Distribution at the start. An expert can also help set values for complicated assets like small businesses.

Divorce attorneys can also help determine whether any of your separate property has been combined with marital property, which may affect its value when splitting. They can assist in drafting and reviewing a property settlement agreement; furthermore they can review documents like prenuptial agreements, tax returns and statements of net worth.

3. When You Have a Complex Financial Issue

Divorces can be emotionally distressful and legally complex affairs. For example, if your and your spouse wish to divide pensions, retirement accounts, insurance policies and/or other assets then hiring an attorney might be necessary.

Financial issues can also be emotionally damaging. For instance, when couples share debts they may become resentful and start spending beyond their means – sometimes hiding income in order to prevent one partner from discovering it – something known as financial infidelity which should never happen within a marriage relationship.

When facing complex, financial divorce issues, it’s wise to enlist the services of an experienced divorce attorney. Reach out to Vanden Heuvel & Dineen S.C. now to discover our services and schedule your free consultation – we look forward to helping protect your rights! We proudly provide services throughout Milwaukee and its environs.

4. When You Have a Complex Child Custody Issue

Certain circumstances can exacerbate an already complex child custody case further, for instance if one parent enters into another relationship before their divorce is finalized; this may negatively impact their child custody case as judges prioritize stability and routine for children’s wellbeing.

Likewise, if both parents cannot reach an agreement regarding child custody and visitation agreements or settlement agreements for other issues related to their divorce, they will most likely need to go before a judge to have these matters decided by them. It can often be beneficial for each party involved to retain an experienced attorney to represent them during these court proceedings.

Any time a parent is accused of drug abuse or has other valid reasons to modify a child custody or visitation order, it’s wise to consult with an experienced lawyer to protect their rights and avoid potentially jeopardizing future chances of obtaining custody or visiting time as well as violating existing court orders. Failing to do so could jeopardize long-term chances at custody or visitation time and could put them at risk of violating existing court orders.