Divorce is an expensive process, affecting the finances and resources of both spouses in numerous ways. Some couples believe that the easiest way to cut costs in a divorce is to go without legal representation. Unfortunately, this can lead to many consequences in the future, even resulting in unnecessary financial hardship. It’s important to understand how an Oklahoma City divorce attorney can help you protect your rights in a divorce.
Whether you and your spouse are amicable or in a contentious separation, legal support is important to ensure a divorce is fair and beneficial for your family. Some of the crucial benefits of legal representation in your divorce proceedings include:
1.Clarifying Your Legal Questions and Providing Advice
Family law is complex, and divorce involves several areas of family law, including property division, alimony, and decisions for children. An attorney knows the applicable Oklahoma laws for your family law case and how to interpret that law for your unique situation. They can ensure the way you navigate your divorce is legal and fair.
There are many important choices that need to be made in a divorce, and an attorney can provide you with the necessary information to help you make those choices. They can give you advice about resolving your divorce, including methods like collaborative divorce or divorce mediation. It is stressful to navigate a divorce. An attorney can address your concerns and make you more confident in your decisions.
2.Avoiding Subjective and Emotional Decisions
There are many understandably negative emotions that you may deal with during a divorce. An attorney’s support can help you prevent these emotions from overtaking negotiations or litigation. An attorney can also keep an eye on the big picture of the divorce, including your goals for your financial future and your children. This level-headed support may help you avoid making rash choices based on your emotional reactions.
3.Making Communication Between Spouses Easier
When spouses are using alternative dispute resolution methods to resolve their divorce, communication is crucial. Even when spouses are contentious, it is still possible to resolve some divorces outside of court, saving time and money.
It is also possible, however, for amicable spouses to find themselves at odds when their wishes clash. Mediation or representation by an attorney can help spouses navigate arguments and improve their overall communication.
4.Protecting Your Rights and Financial Future
Both spouses have a right to their share of property in a divorce, and both have certain parental rights. Even when spouses are getting an amicable divorce, they can still create an agreement that leaves one spouse without the assets they rightly deserve. Some spouses may even hide assets out of spite or financial fear, which can leave the other spouse with significantly fewer resources than they deserve.
While the court does not approve a separation agreement if it is unreasonable to either spouse or not in their children’s interests, things can be missed. To ensure you are getting what you deserve in a separation agreement, work with legal representation.
The support of an attorney can make a separation agreement more fair, ensuring you get the property and support that you deserve. An attorney also knows how to navigate the process of uncovering hidden assets.
5.Avoiding Long-Term Complications and Costs
An attorney is not required for a divorce, and many couples want to cut the costs of the expensive divorce process by not working with legal representation. This can result in more substantial future costs and financial losses from long-term complications. An attorney knows what to consider about future financial and personal changes. The support of a knowledgeable attorney can help you avoid long-term costs after your divorce is finalized.
FAQs
Q: What Is the Average Cost of a Divorce Attorney in Oklahoma?
A: There is no average cost of a divorce attorney in Oklahoma because every attorney has unique fees, and each divorce is unique. An attorney’s fees may depend on:
- Experience: A more knowledgeable and skilled attorney may have higher costs, but you should always check an attorney’s experience rather than relying on their rates.
- Case Complexity: The more complicated your divorce case is, if it involves complex assets or potential litigation, the higher costs are likely to be.
You should always talk with your attorney about fees upfront.
Q: What Is a Wife Entitled to in a Divorce Settlement in Oklahoma?
A: In a divorce settlement in Oklahoma, a wife is entitled to the same things as any spouse, including:
- The right to her fair and reasonable share of marital assets
- The right to request alimony
- The right to request reasonable custody of her children
- The right to provide or receive child support payments
When a divorce settlement is created outside of court, couples have more control over the specifics of splitting marital assets and creating a parenting plan. The court must still determine that the separation settlement is fair to both spouses before approving it.
Q: Does It Matter Who Files for Divorce in Oklahoma First?
A: Yes, it can matter who files for divorce in Oklahoma first because Oklahoma allows fault-based divorces. You can choose what grounds you want to file on when you file first.
If there are no fault-based grounds for divorce, then it is less important who files first. There are still strategic benefits to filing first, including choosing which jurisdiction to file in and often being able to present your case in court first. The court does not give preference to the filing spouse or the respondent spouse.
Q: What Are the 12 Grounds for Divorce in Oklahoma?
A: There are both fault-based and no-fault grounds for divorce in Oklahoma. No-fault divorces are filed on the basis of incompatibility. The other grounds for divorce are fault-based grounds and include:
- Adultery
- Abandonment for one year
- Impotency
- Fraud
- Pregnancy by someone other than the spouse
- Habitual drunkenness
- Neglect of marital duty
- Extreme cruelty
- Imprisonment for a felony
- Procuring a divorce decree that isn’t valid in Oklahoma
- Insanity for at least five years
Contact a Skilled Attorney in Oklahoma City
A divorce is one of the most emotionally and financially straining times in a person’s life. A skilled attorney can help you navigate this situation. Contact Stange Law Firm today.
