Marriage is one of the oldest and most universal institutions in the world, traditionally designed to unite a man and woman into a household that can raise children. Some nations today have also recognized same-sex marriage, and some same-sex households are known to adopt children. But divorce is also common today, and there are many different reasons why a person may choose to legally end their marriage. If a divorce may be hotly contested, and if there is a lot on the line, then family lawyers, child custody lawyers, and other divorce attorneys may be hired as the case goes through a court of law. Family law may help smooth out a divorce if there are children involved, and family lawyers may be hired at certain law firms. Other divorces may be simpler and smoother, and rather than family lawyers, the divorcing spouses might choose to hire a divorce mediator.
Why Divorce Happens
A number of causes for divorce have been determined, as many studies and statistics today are tracking how Americans marry and end those marriages. Among those common divorce reasons, the highest ranking one is infidelity, when one spouse is caught being unfaithful to the other. This can cause a real emotional blow, and if marriage counseling does not solve the problem, then divorce might be next. Domestic abuse may also lead to divorce, such as verbal abuse, physical violence, or even sexual abuse against other members of the household. One of the spouses might be abusing drugs or alcohol, and substance use may lead to behavioral changes, financial strain, and even job loss.
Not all divorces are so dramatic or traumatizing, however. Many Americans get divorced for simpler reasons, such as if the to spouses realize that they have very different lifestyles or spending habits. In other cases, the two spouses have simply stopped loving each other, and lose interest in their marriage. Often, these are the cases that call for mediators rather than family lawyers or divorce court.
A Major Divorce
If a spouse has determined that their marriage needs to end, they may secretly look up local divorce law firms and consult the attorneys who work at them (which may or may not incur a fee). Once the spouse has hired a lire who is to their liking, they can file for divorce, and begin the process. The other spouse may then hire a divorce lawyer of their own, and the spouses will fight over the terms of the divorce through their legal representatives. In the case where a spouse has been abusive, the abused members of the family might relocate to another, private residence for the duration of the divorce. The two spouses may, through their attorneys, fight over the divorce’s end conditions, as well as fight over possessions such as bank accounts, a house, cars, recreational vehicles, or even jewelry or family heirlooms.
If the household included one or more children under the age of 18, the two spouses may also hire family lawyers or child custody lawyers to debate who should have custody of the child. This might be settled through a family law court. And if that child is aged 12 or over, he or she may speak privately with the judge about their living preferences after the case is over. Nothing can be guaranteed here, but a divorcing parent’s chances of getting custody might be higher if they have a steady income and have not demonstrated abusive or other questionable behavior.
Mediators
Simpler divorces may be handled through mediators instead, and this is an attractive option since mediated divorces are typically much cheaper and more private than those that use lawyers and divorce court. In an uncontested or mediated divorce, the two spouses may negotiate and figure out the divorce’s terms and arrangements on their own. To make this process smoother, they can hire a mediator, a neutral third party who is tasked with keeping the negotiations smooth and fair. That mediator may help draw out productive and helpful ideas from each spouse, though this mediator will not take sides, and that mediator will not offer their own ideas or advice unless asked first.
