Why Putting Your Best Foot Forward is Important in Divorce Proceedings
Going through a divorce is one of life’s biggest challenges, and is likely to represent a low point in terms of your confidence and how you feel about your situation. While it is natural to feel a flood of emotions ranging from sadness and depression to seething anger, letting these feelings show in divorce negotiations and in court proceedings can end up hurting your case. As an experienced Florida divorce attorney, we provide compassionate client service and professional legal guidance to support you throughout these proceedings, but there are actions you can take on your own that can either decrease or increase your chances of getting the best possible outcome in your case.
Three Ways You Can Help Make a Compelling Divorce Case
As the saying goes, actions speak louder than words. During your divorce, you may end up interacting with other attorneys, administrative staff, court personnel, and judges involved in your case. How you present yourself in the process can either help or hurt you in achieving your goals. In resolving the issues required to obtain a divorce under the Florida Statutes, it is important to keep the following in mind:
- Be honest: As part of your divorce, you will be required to fill out several documents outlining details regarding your situation. These include inventories of marital property, assets, and debts, along with information about your income and the general circumstances surrounding your marriage. It is important to be honest in your answers. In addition to the potential penalties you could face for making false statements, exaggerating situations or attempting to hide assets could influence your rights in a potential settlement.
- Stay calm: Emotions often run high in divorce proceedings. This is particularly true when it comes to creating parenting plans and negotiating child time sharing arrangements. Be aware that your ability to cooperate and work with the other parent is likely to be a factor in these proceedings. Having angry or emotional outbursts in court and in mediation sessions only serve to portray you in a negative light, and could undermine any efforts or advances made in your case.
- Resist the impulse to get revenge. While the actions of your spouse may have been hurtful and may make you want to ‘get even’, overt attempts to do so in your divorce proceedings is not a wise tactic. Being vindictive can easily backfire, landing you in legal trouble and jeopardizing your rights. With the help and guidance of your divorce attorney in presenting the facts surrounding the situation, you stand a better chance of getting a good settlement without obvious attempts at slighting your former partner. Remember, the best revenge is going on to live a happy, successful life.
Contact Us Today for Help
At the law offices of attorney Vanessa L. Prieto, we act as a strong legal advocate on your behalf through every aspect of your divorce case. To discuss your situation and how we can assist you, call or contact our office online and request a consultation with our Fort Lauderdale divorce attorney today.