“Winning” a divorce can mean different things to different people. For one person it could mean that the majority of assets will go to you, while for another person the primary focus could be their house, or even more importantly their parental and guardianship rights to their children.
If you want a divorce and the divorce is warranted due to a “fault” such as abuse or infidelity, then you have a better chance of receiving a “win.”
During a contested divorce, spouses are unable to meet on common ground during the divorce proceeding and must battle it out through their individual lawyers and sometimes the court. Contested divorces take more time, and effort, but also tend to have high stakes for the two parties.
How to Win a Contested Divorce
You decide what is “winning” in divorce.
When you decide to get a divorce, you can discuss with our divorce attorneys during your consultation and the initial part of your case to set goals and make plans to reach your divorce “win.”
Decide what your goals are, whether that means a fast divorce, keeping certain assets, or guardianship rights to your children.
Maybe the couple has no assets or children and they just need to be separated. This couple may want to jointly hire a lawyer who can walk them through an uncontested divorce as quickly and cheaply as possible. So the best lawyer may just be the cheapest available in some cases. If you need a fast, cheap divorce we offer an agreed divorce as an affordable divorce option.
Other couples have large, expensive assets to divide up. They may have strong disagreements over who should get those assets in the divorce. Or they may be bitterly divided on who should have custody of the children.
These situations do not necessarily have to end up in a contested divorce. These couples may be able to hire a mediator that can work with them to come to some sort of agreement.
Even if a couple is angry and barely talking, they can still oftentimes reach an agreement that can be presented jointly to a judge. Even an ugly divorce like that is technically not contested if the judge is just reviewing an agreement.
How to Win a Contested Divorce: Step By Step
The process of dissolving a marriage can be challenging and is not without obstacles.
However, the situation can take a tumultuous turn if you and your spouse don’t agree on aspects of the divorce, such as how to divide property or who gets legal and physical custody of the children. Here are 3 tips to help you deal with a contested divorce in the best way possible, with the help of your Texas contested divorce lawyer.
1. Get a Handle On Your Assets
Surprisingly, many people don’t know what they own or don’t own when they go into a divorce. While knowing what your assets are is fairly straightforward if you handle the finances for the family, it can be more difficult if you’re the spouse who simply turns over your paycheck every two weeks to your spouse, or if you’re a homemaker. If you are considering divorce or believe your spouse to be exploring the option of divorce, get as many copies of financial records as you can. Know where your money is going, where it is deposited, and what titles are in your name.
2. Get Your Credit Report
In Texas, debt is also considered marital property and is divided equitably between spouses. However, it’s easy for this aspect of divorce to become contested, as no one really volunteers to take on additional debt. It’s a smart move to be aware of what you owe and what you don’t owe, and what debts are in your name only as well as those that are in the name of both you and your spouse. Having a copy of your credit report handy is an easy way to prove what debts are yours.
3. Keep Records of Everything
If you know your divorce is going to be contested, this is the time that you want to invest in a journal (or several) and begin keeping records of everything that transpires between you and your soon-to-be-ex spouse. This is especially true when it comes to custody issues. You’ll want to have records of when your spouse picks up your children, when your spouse drops them off, what your spouse pays for, what your children say happens while they’re with your spouse, and any other pertinent information. Write everything down, especially threats to take property away from you, threats to accuse you of domestic violence, and any other negative communication between you and your ex.
Contact an Experienced Corpus Christi Contested Divorce Attorney Today
You absolutely cannot be involved in a contested divorce without the assistance of a qualified Texas divorce lawyer. Our skilled divorce attorneys can help guide you through the divorce process, and can zealously fight for you in the event that litigation becomes necessary.
Get Help With Your Contested Divorce Today
At Marx, Altman & Johnson, our top divorce attorneys are comfortable advocating for the rights of our clients both in and out of the courtroom and are dedicated to obtaining the most favorable result possible for each client. Contact us today for a consultation at 817-926-6211.
