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The vast majority of New Jersey divorce cases involve some level of tension, charged emotions, and even animosity between the parties. That is to be expected. With that said, there are seven strategies you can employ to make your New Jersey divorce more amicable and civil:
The seven tips to make a divorce case more amicable work in conjunction with one another. They are designed as a comprehensive approach to lowering the tensions associated with a marriage dissolution case.
Focus on Civil CommunicationPerhaps nothing is more important in keeping a marriage dissolution case as civil as possible than establishing and maintaining civil communication with the other party. The bottom-line reality is that divorce tensions can lower significantly if parties ending their marriage avoid inflammatory language when communicating. As will be discussed in a moment, retaining a capable New Jersey marriage dissolution lawyer can aid in permitting more effective and civil communications during divorce proceedings.
Establish Realistic ExpectationsIn some cases, a party to a divorce case has what can be described as unreasonable expectations. Unreasonable expectations can work to inflame tensions between a divorcing couple, rendering the entire process far from amicable.
By consulting a lawyer and learning what are reasonable positions to take in your case, you are able to avoid unnecessarily emotionally charged encounters with the other party. An experienced lawyer is able to provide you with a valuable case evaluation. Such a case evaluation lends perspective to your case. It permits you the ability to reasonably understand what to expect and what not to expect during the course and conduct of your marriage dissolution proceedings.
Consider Alternative Dispute ResolutionIn New Jersey, the use of alternative dispute resolution is becoming more commonplace in divorce cases. One of the benefits of divorce mediation is a lowering of emotions in a marriage dissolution case. Mediation can aid in keeping the overall marriage dissolution process more civil. Mediation has other benefits as well. These include the potential for speeding up the marriage dissolution process itself.
Act in Good FaithAnother tip to bear in mind in order to strive to keep your divorce more amicable is to act in good faith throughout the process. This includes negotiating a possible settlement of your case in good faith. Being unnecessarily obstinate or acting in bad faith during marriage dissolution proceedings in the end is not beneficials and can make a resolution of your divorce case unnecessarily complicated.
Don’t Use Your Children as ToolsTime and again in divorce cases, children become tools or pawns in the process. Nothing can make a divorce more acrimonious than the misuse of children in the process. Using children as tools or pawns includes everything from abusing the custody and parenting time processes and misusing a child as an inappropriate intermediary with the other spouse.
Engage in Mindful NegotiationAnother tactic that you can employ as a means of making your divorce more amicable is to engage in mindful settlement negotiations. By this it is meant you should not abuse the settlement negotiation process. You should make a meaningful, honest attempt to engage in honest settlement negotiations if at all possible.
Retain Experienced New Jersey Divorce LawyerAs has been alluded to throughout this discussion, retaining an experienced divorce attorney can assist in lowering tensions related to a marriage dissolution case. If you are considering ending your marriage, the legal team at the Law Offices of Peter Van Aulen can schedule a free initial consultation to discuss your case. You can reach our office at your convenience by calling (201) 845-7400.
As an aside, you best protect your important legal interests in a divorce case by seeking representation in a proactive manner. In other words, your rights are protected most appropriately when you retail legal counsel before you commence divorce proceedings or directly after you have been served with divorce papers.