From Pit Bulls to Peacemakers
Yep, attorneys are such an important (and unpleasant) topic that we are dedicating two entries to just the chore of finding one (and we reserve the right to add more!). But, this is one of those decisions that can be very costly if you get it wrong. Depending on whether or not you have children, how much money you have in the bank or on paper, and the fitness of each of you as a parent will all play a role in the importance of your selection of attorney.
Of equal importance is who your ex has selected for his attorney. If the moment you told him you weren't sure the marriage was working out he immediately did a Google search for "attorney & pit bull", you had better hire a pit bull of your own - preferably one with bigger teeth! This is definitely not the time to let your baby brother who just graduated from law school gain some much needed experience. In addition, if you have a lot to divide and anticipate a ferocious battle but your ex hasn't hired an attorney yet, you might want to schedule a consultation with every single one of the well-known pit bulls in town. This way you can select the one that is the best fit for you and your personality and have the added bonus of preventing your ex from using any of these attorneys himself. Once you have met with an attorney you create a conflict of interest, and your husband can no longer use that attorney. Sneaky? Yes. Necessary? Probably.
On the other hand, if you don't have any children together, you have very little "stuff" to divide, and, most importantly, you and your ex are both acting like reasonable adults, you might be able to go the mediation route. Using a mediator instead of attorneys to iron out the details of your separation and divorce can save you both thousands of dollars and eliminate a great deal of acrimony and grief. But, beware. Even if you agree to use a mediator, you will still need an attorney to provide you with some amount of guidance and education about the issues at hand as well as to review whatever agreement the mediator drafts. Consider yourself very fortunate (and even more unusual) if you can resolve all of your issues and reach an agreement solely or primarily with the use of a mediator.
If you're wondering how we know all of this, it's because we've been through it all...and so much more! More about us coming soon. Stay tuned!
Of equal importance is who your ex has selected for his attorney. If the moment you told him you weren't sure the marriage was working out he immediately did a Google search for "attorney & pit bull", you had better hire a pit bull of your own - preferably one with bigger teeth! This is definitely not the time to let your baby brother who just graduated from law school gain some much needed experience. In addition, if you have a lot to divide and anticipate a ferocious battle but your ex hasn't hired an attorney yet, you might want to schedule a consultation with every single one of the well-known pit bulls in town. This way you can select the one that is the best fit for you and your personality and have the added bonus of preventing your ex from using any of these attorneys himself. Once you have met with an attorney you create a conflict of interest, and your husband can no longer use that attorney. Sneaky? Yes. Necessary? Probably.
On the other hand, if you don't have any children together, you have very little "stuff" to divide, and, most importantly, you and your ex are both acting like reasonable adults, you might be able to go the mediation route. Using a mediator instead of attorneys to iron out the details of your separation and divorce can save you both thousands of dollars and eliminate a great deal of acrimony and grief. But, beware. Even if you agree to use a mediator, you will still need an attorney to provide you with some amount of guidance and education about the issues at hand as well as to review whatever agreement the mediator drafts. Consider yourself very fortunate (and even more unusual) if you can resolve all of your issues and reach an agreement solely or primarily with the use of a mediator.
If you're wondering how we know all of this, it's because we've been through it all...and so much more! More about us coming soon. Stay tuned!
Posted by Lifes Dirty Little Secrets at 9/21/2009 5:32 PM 
Categories: The Straight Skinny
Tags: divorce lawyer attorney life marriage love reality
Categories: The Straight Skinny
Tags: divorce lawyer attorney life marriage love reality
Depending on the state you can do it yourself. Time to put pressure on legislators to make divorce simple and easy!
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You are absolutely right. Las Vegas, not surprisingly, has a very "user-friendly" system that makes the process much simpler. However, it is up to the parties to proceed amicably - if one party is not interested in getting the divorce or if there are a great deal of assets to divide or if custody issues exist, nothing will be easy.
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