A divorce obviously impacts a person’s life in a myriad of ways and affects every person differently. The following is a list of areas that a person should be mindful of as most affecting their life during the divorce process:
- Legal Consequences
- Family/Social Consequences
- Financial Consequences
- Emotional Consequences
When going through a divorce, you must focus on each of these aspects of your life. If you focus on one to the exclusion of others, you may make mistakes in the divorce process. You could agree to terms that hurt you financially. You might sign a contract that is not in your best interest, simply to have the process end. You could end up dissatisfied in the long-run. Many divorcing spouses will put off dealing with the emotional issues caused by the divorce until the legal issues have been finalized, and this can be a mistake.
Legal Consequences
Make sure you hire an experienced, local family law attorney that makes you feel comfortable and confident. Do your own research as well to make sure you understand your court, judge and Tennessee laws that could affect the outcome of your divorce, custody, property and spousal support issues. Make sure you discuss your desires with your attorney to determine if those goals are realistic and form a game plan together. Make sure you keep your lawyer up to date throughout the process.
Family/Social
Remember to reach out to people in your support system throughout your divorce. Many divorcing couples will isolate themselves from family, friends or church members because of guilt or depression. Let your family and friends offer support and energy during this difficult time. They can help carry your burden.
Often divorcés will feel he or she has no one who is willing to supervise visitations, to accompany him or her to the exchange of their child or to get involved in any way with the divorce or custody process. Make sure you stay connected. Who is your confidant? Who would you call at midnight when you’re struggling? Make a list of those people who love you unconditionally and would do anything for you – and stay plugged in with them.
Financial
Try to understand what is behind your desire for money in the divorce. For example, women who have stayed at home for years raising the family and may want a certain amount of alimony because they are afraid that they will not know how to support themselves after such a long absence from the work-force. Try to address this real fear and be reasonable but equitable. Although some financial desires are motivated by underlying emotions, the harsh reality is that the property still must be divided. Talk with your attorney about what you can reasonably expect to happen, and be prepared to negotiate with your spouse to address all property issues.
Emotional
Recognize that emotions may affect the decisions you make in your divorce case, and try to make logcial rather than emotional decisions, when possible. Common emotions felt during the divorce process are:
- Guilt or shame over having a marriage fail
- Guilt over your own behavior that lead to the divorce
- Sadness over losing emotional and financial support
- Depression over losing a home, possessions and/or income
- Depression related to losing time with your children
- Stress over losing even more in the divorce
- Fear that you will not find another romantic partner
- Fear about having financial struggles following the divorce
- Fear that your children will be negatively impacted
- General anger
These emotions can affect your decision-making. For example, a spouse who has had an affair, even one that began after the parties’ separation, may feel so guilty that he or she agrees to anything that the other spouse reqeusts. After they have worked through their guilt, however, they may resent the agreement at best or be bankrupt at worst for agreeing to things they could not possibly afford.
If you are considering divorce, contact our attorney Donna Wagner today to schedule your consultation. Ms. Wagner is experienced in handling all kinds of divorces, and we will work with you to meet your needs in each of these areas.
Real-life results
See what happy clients are saying about me.
“I spoke with several attorneys and from the moment I spoke with Donna I knew she was the person I wanted to hire for a child custody case.
From the very first interaction she was enthusiastic, friendly, and honest. She asked a lot of questions to get to know the case well. I was so impressed with how thorough and thoughtful she was throughout the entire process, explaining every step along the way.
Donna was great at staying in contact and kept me updated as everything progressed. She was affordable and very fair in her billing. If ever another situation is to arise in which I’m requiring legal assistance and representation she will be the first I call.
Due to Donna’s persistence I was able to come out ahead with more than I had ever hoped for when I first brought her my case. She helped me to see and understand things about my situation that would have never occurred to me on my own.
This woman has so much integrity! I’m so grateful for all of her help during a nerve wracking time. She was incredibly personable. I highly recommend Donna Wagner for your legal needs.
Best decision I ever made in the midst of a divorce, from someone who asked for the divorce, was to hire Donna Wagner. I was facing an attorney who was representing my spouse, thinking all I had to do was sign the papers. No, they were attempting to get money out of me. Keep in mind we didn’t have any kids. Anyhow, Donna came in and shut it all down. I was due in court in a week and she got that continued. After going back and forth with the opposing attorney, Donna was able to not only get them to settle the case without going to court but have everything ruled in my favor. I am finally divorced and can breathe easy. Thank you Donna Wagner!
Donna provided such expertise during my case with her. She was always responsive, knowledgeable and professional, while also being compassionate to my situation. I cannot recommend her enough!
I know for certain that If I am needing an attorney again in the future, I will be using Donna Wagner. There are so many great things to say about Donna. However, I believe what I appreciated most was how Donna handles special situations, and I assure you, my circumstances were just that! Donna was very thorough during my entire case. She was able to address my unique case but also do so with legal basis even though the courts may not always allow for such situations. Donna was very thorough each step of the way and was certain to not leave any stone un-turned. One thing I really liked about Donna was her fire. When situations arose, she can be more than passionate about her job and serving justice to those who deserve it. I also want Donna’s clients to know that she was very timely with me in her communications with me. Whether by email or phone, she was always just a call or a message away. When being in a legal situation, I know from previous experience, being able to reach your attorney means everything. I am more than pleased with the results that I recieved from Donna Wagner, and I assure you my case turned out better than I had imagined and even for a fair price. Donna Wagner rocks!
I know for certain that If I am needing an attorney again in the future, I will be using Donna Wagner. There are so many great things to say about Donna. However, I believe what I appreciated most was how Donna handles special situations, and I assure you, my circumstances were just that! Donna was very thorough during my entire case. She was able to address my unique case but also do so with legal basis even though the courts may not always allow for such situations. Donna was very thorough each step of the way and was certain to not leave any stone un-turned. One thing I really liked about Donna was her fire. When situations arose, she can be more than passionate about her job and serving justice to those who deserve it. I also want Donna’s clients to know that she was very timely with me in her communications with me. Whether by email or phone, she was always just a call or a message away. When being in a legal situation, I know from previous experience, being able to reach your attorney means everything. I am more than pleased with the results that I recieved from Donna Wagner, and I assure you my case turned out better than I had imagined and even for a fair price. Donna Wagner rocks!
I obtained Mrs. Donna Wagner’s services in 2012 to help with my charge of driving under the influence. I first called several other attorneys, but none of them were willing to listen to my case. Mrs. Wagner not only took the time to listen but went out of her way to be sensitive to my issues, respond quickly to my questions, and help me understand this unfamiliar process. It was clear to me from the beginning that she knew the system well and was very thorough in her exploration into my case. With her experience and knowledge of the Mt. Juiliet court system, combined with her adept use of the evidence at hand, she was able to get my charges significantly reduced. I could not be more happy with my choice of attorney. I am certain that I would not have had such a successful outcome without her guidance and skill.
