The old adage “offense sells tickets, but defense wins championships” was on full display yesterday as the Seattle Seahawks defeated the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII to win their first championship. We know, this blog may not be right place to start talking sports, but defending positions has some relevance to family law. In essence, if you are going through a divorce (or experiencing child custody issues) it is important to have a good defense to help you through the process.
With that, we give our readers three essential defenses as you contemplate (or continue through) your divorce:
Stay employed – This may go without saying, but it is important to know how you will meet your monthly expenses on one income. Indeed, there are some circumstances where a court may award temporary spousal maintenance or child support, but you still have to pay your bills before the court makes a ruling.
Have a support team – A successful divorce takes a team effort. This includes your attorney, an accountant, an appraiser, a therapist and most of all, family members. With these important players, you can shore up your legal, financial and emotional defenses so that you can make informed decisions without undue pressure.
Have the right approach – While divorces undoubtedly have emotional scarring, it is largely a business transaction, and you should treat it as such. So your energy should be put into gathering information to support a win-win resolution (as most business transactions are) rather than a “take no prisoners” approach. After all, finding amicable solutions costs less than protracted litigation.
Source: WSJ.com “Three ways to protect yourself in a divorce,” Margaret Klaw
