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DIVORCE

Divorce Lawyer

Trusted Divorce Lawyer Serving Hartford, Danbury & Stamford, CT

Going through a divorce is never easy, but you don’t have to face it alone. The divorce lawyers at The Law Offices of Rashmi N. Patel can help you with all the major and minor factors that are involved with a divorce proceeding. We’re here to help defend your rights and get you the results you deserve. No matter what the cause of your divorce may be or how much tension there is between you and your ex, we have over 10 years of experience to put to work. Let our divorce lawyers help you through this difficult process in the Hartford, Danbury, and Stamford areas.

When to Hire a Divorce Lawyer

Divorces can be simple or complex depending on the individual circumstances at play. In some cases, parties can and do represent themselves in divorce actions. However, it is almost always in your best interest to choose an experienced divorce lawyer to represent you. Here are some of the scenarios in which you will definitely want to contact our office:

Your Spouse Has a Divorce Lawyer: If your spouse has retained a divorce lawyer, you will most likely want to hire one of your own. Trying to represent yourself against an experienced professional puts you at a major disadvantage; it's best to have someone with in-depth knowledge and experience to protect your interests. A divorce lawyer also provides you with advice and legal guidance to help you to make decisions with relevant information, which can also help to streamline the process.
The Situation is High-Conflict: Many divorces end relatively amicably, but others do not. This can result in emotional and resentful proceedings. If your divorce is bitter or tumultuous, it's best to hire an attorney to provide a steady, neutral presence. This keeps negotiations fair and legal on both sides and makes it easier for each spouse to communicate, while still keeping your and your spouse's best interest in mind, which is essential if children are in the picture.
You're Not Sure of Your Rights: Do you know what you're legally entitled to in your divorce? While every divorce is different, you have rights to a portion of your shared assets. If you have children, you will need to determine custody and support arrangements - these will depend on individual circumstances, but each parent has rights. A divorce lawyer can help protect your interests and help you arrive at a fair solution that satisfies everyone.
The Divorce is Complex: Do you own multiple homes, vehicles, or have multiple children of various ages? While it's possible to come to a divorce settlement on your own, the process becomes more complex when more factors are added. Mistakes can be difficult and expensive to fix, so it's best to get things right the first time. A divorce lawyer can handle paperwork, navigate convoluted processes, and help you avoid potential pitfalls.

What to Keep in Mind When Hiring a Divorce Lawyer

Facing divorce can be daunting, but you don't have to go through the process alone. Having a plan in place can help you feel more confident as you begin the procedure, and knowing how you're going to proceed can help you work more efficiently. Here are some things to keep in mind as you begin working with our divorce lawyer:

Gather Documentation: At minimum, you'll want to gather all documentation that you might need to file for divorce. This can include income statements, tax returns, documentation of assets and debts, and more. Our office can help you gather the documents you'll need as you begin the process.
Make Financial Plans: If possible, you might consider planning ahead as best as possible for your divorce. This might involve saving money or paying off any debts so that the divorce process becomes less financially complex.
Know the Law: In Connecticut, there are several different types of divorce processes. The requirements, procedures, timelines, and administration strategies are different for each. Your divorce lawyer can help you walk through which option is right for you and help you understand specific information about waiting periods and other criteria.
Decide What's Most Important: Whether this is a sudden decision or a long time coming, it's important to take the time to consider your priorities during your divorce. You'll want to review your finances, asset division, and your expectations regarding child custody and parenting. Decide what your ideal arrangement will be, what you don't want to negotiate, and what you may be willing to give up. This can help your divorce lawyer negotiate a resolution that satisfies you.
Consider Arrangements for Children: If you and your spouse have children, you'll need to decide together where the children will live, how much time they will spend with each of you, and what each parent expects of the other moving forward. Arrangements for children and parenting will clearly define financial and practical expectations.

What to Expect from the Divorce Process

If you are contemplating divorce from your spouse, you might be looking for information on what the process entails. No two divorces are the same; some are simple, and some can seem endless because neither party can agree to custody of the children, alimonies, etc.

At the Law Offices of Rashmi N. Patel, we want you to be as prepared as possible for whatever comes during your divorce case.

The length of time for each step of a divorce as well as the process in general will also depend greatly on your individual situation. The quickest divorces usually involve shorter marriages, meaning no children from the marriage, few assets, and/or a settlement that doesn’t involve a trial. Your knowledgeable divorce lawyer can help you to understand what the process will look like in your case.

Working with a professional divorce attorney also provides the benefit of preparing you for situations that you otherwise may not have expected. For example, before filing for divorce you should consider that your finances will likely be placed under a restraining order. You'll want to know an accurate estimation of your living expenses and hold onto receipts. It's also important to realize that some categories of money that will be exchanged during the divorce are subject to capital gains taxes.

The Divorce Petition

The divorce petition is typically the first legal paperwork filed in a divorce. The petition is a document that essentially asks the court to grant a legal separation or divorce. The summons is usually served simultaneously on the other party to notify them of the court action. At this point neither party should be making any major financial changes or disposing of marital assets.

Usually, a divorce petition will include information about residency, jurisdiction, and proposed relief. Relief can include alimony or spousal support, child support, proposed asset division and custody. These items are not necessarily the relief that will end up being granted and the other party will often respond to the divorce petition with a counter-petition of their own. Allegations about conduct or events during the marriage will also be addressed in the divorce petition and will either be agreed or disagreed to by the spouse. Our experienced divorce lawyer can guide you through this procedure.

Temporary Relief

Divorces can take a long time and sometimes parties will often need to come to an agreement about spousal support, custody and visitation of the children and other matters that can’t wait until the divorce is finalized. The judge will have a hearing to decide what relief will be granted during the time the divorce is pending.

Mediation

Some courts will require a couple to seek mediation before they move forward with their divorce in court. Mediation involves an impartial, trained mediator who helps the couple come to an agreement about things like child support, alimony, custody, and other items cited in the divorce petition. Mediation is not always appropriate, but it can save couples time and money when it comes to settling the terms of the divorce.

Settlement

Most divorce cases will settle before they go to trial and divorces can be settled at any point in the process. Most of the time, couples want to avoid trial because it is expensive and arduous, and it leaves the final decision of who gets what in the divorce to the judge who might not make a decision all parties are happy with. However, you might not be able to come to an agreement on your own without the judge stepping in.

Your divorce lawyer can advise you on whether to accept a given settlement offer. Settlements should cover all the contested matters in the divorce petition. Once a settlement has been agreed upon, the agreement can be put in writing and incorporated into the divorce decree.

Trial

If you are not able to come to an agreement about the matters related to the divorce, then you could end up going to trial. At trial both your divorce lawyer and your spouse’s attorney will be able to present evidence to show that your demands should be granted. If you have settled some of the issues, but not all of them, a judge can rule on just the issues that are still in contention. If you are unhappy with the outcome of the trial, you may be able to appeal. On appeal the court will look at potential errors made by the lower court, though it may affirm the lower court’s decision in full or in part.

Going to trial is not always what happens in divorce cases, but it is a possibility, so it’s important to have an idea of what to expect and make sure you have a skilled divorce lawyer on your side.

Call Our Divorce Lawyer! We Serve the Danbury, Hartford & Stamford, CT Areas!

Our legal team is here to provide you with the legal representation you need to settle your divorce case in your favor and to hopefully get your case settled out of court. We’ll always work with your best interests in mind and keep you informed of the necessary steps you will have to take throughout the process.

If you’re looking for a divorce lawyer in Stamford, Hartford, or Danbury, CT or the surrounding areas, turn to the Law Offices of Rashmi N. Patel. Call today to discuss your case.