Sometimes despite their best efforts, parties are unable to agree. Often, this is due to one of the parties being stubborn or unrealistic. In these cases, the divorcing litigants have no choice but to turn to the courts for redress. If every issue has to involve multiple court appearances, your expenses will escalate quickly. However, there is oftentimes enough at stake, whether it’s money or your children, that you have no choice but to litigate.
The first six months or so of a litigated divorce are the hardest. The parties are dealing with a very heavy emotional and financial burden. The most mundane disputes quickly turn into thundering recriminations. Emotion rules the day. I generally suggest that people begin seeing an individual therapist to help them through this difficult time. Children sometimes also need therapy to deal with the conflict that threatens to destroy the family.
In the first six months, people also often discover that the parties and attorneys who yell the loudest and make the wildest accusations are usually not the ones who prevail. Judges prefer reasonable people.