It’s not fun, we understand that. Whether you saw this coming from miles away, or it came completely out of left field, being served divorce paperwork can be a depressing and frustrating experience. However, like so much in life, what matters more is how you respond to a situation, rather than what the specifics of the situation are. So, with that in mind, now that you’ve been served your divorce papers, what’s next?
Being served is awful, but we’re here to help.
As a resident of Oakland County in Michigan, you have a lot of options available to you. And a lot of requirements you need to meet in order for this to be as smooth a process as possible. Specifically, there are deadlines you need to meet, and things you need to take care of in a timely manner in order to make sure that your future needs will be met. Our divorce attorneys emphasize to all of our Metro Detroit clients that a lot of things in a divorce case have a direct effect on other parts of the divorce case. It’s the so-called domino effect. So let’s take a look at what your next steps should be regardless of whether your divorce case is in Oakland County, Livingston County or Macomb County.
1. You need to read over the documents carefully.
It’s a lot to take in, we get it. And you will not understand everything there (because legal jargon can be confusing) However, once you’ve got the papers, it’s important that you read over them very carefully. There’s a lot of important info in there that you’re going to need to know. Lots of the language is boilerplate and it’s usually filled with legal mumbo jumbo.
Things like what your spouse wants in terms of custody and alimony, and how they expect the assets and debts to be divided up. Some of that is just wishful thinking and some of it simply posturing. All of that is relevant to you and your future, because it could affect you directly. So take the time to read through every page of the divorce petition carefully! Make notes about things you don’t understand so you can review them with your divorce lawyer.
2. Hire an excellent divorce attorney.
Remember that part about legal jargon being confusing? Well, that’s not the only part of a divorce that needs the expertise and experience of a family law attorney. The sooner you have a high powered divorce attorney representing you in your divorce, the better. And if your divorce papers came with other court documents, like ex parte orders, or motions for temporary orders, you’re going to need an attorney asap! It may seem like not responding, or not participating, will make it all go away, but it doesn’t happen like that. And you don’t want your interests in the divorce to be swept under the rug.
So, doing nothing is the exact wrong thing to do. Thinking you should learn to practice law by handling your own divorce is worse. That almost always turns into a disaster. (Most people aren’t silly enough to try learning to do surgery on themselves, yet a surprising number of people are foolish enough to try learning to practice family law by handling their own divorce case. Most lawyers don’t even try to handle their own divorce cases since they understand just how bad a decision that is.)
Talk to your attorney if you have questions.
And you should have questions! Because divorce is a long and complicated process, and there’s a lot to figure out. Alimony, child support, custody, division of debts and assets. It’s not a simple or speedy process, and you’re going to need help to figure out all the details. And that’s where we come in. Here at The Kronzek Firm, our experienced and highly skilled family law attorneys know what lies ahead for you, and how best to handle the tricky spots that crop up along the way. And we’d love to help you. So call 866 766 5245 today, and get help from consummate professionals who’ve been doing this successfully for decades.