The closest people get to planning to divorce before entering into a marriage is signing pre-nuptials. Unfortunately, divorce becomes a reality for almost half of all marriages. So whether you plan for it or not, it just might hit you that your marriage is not the fairy tale you dreamt of.
When that time comes, you will want to do everything in your power to emerge at the top. Winning in a divorce can mean different things to different people, but irrespective of what it means to you, it will come with adopting the right strategies.
This guide discusses some strategies you may need to explore to win in the context of the different definitions of winning you might have.
Get Your Emotions Out of the Way
A divorce represents shattered expectations for most people. So, it’s almost impossible not to be emotional when navigating one. Emotions will almost always influence someone to want to make the other party pay for their part in the divorce.
However, it is important to remember that winning a divorce does not necessarily mean the destruction of your ex-spouse; rather, it means finding a solution that is more in your best interest than not.
While you could succeed in giving your ex a hard time, you may also find yourself facing a hard time in the process.
Winning should be the resolution that gives you the best outcome possible with the least struggle for you and the ones you love, for example, your kids. So, aim for the most amicable resolution.
Put in the Hard Work
Some partners may not be as invested in an amicable resolution as you are, so no matter how much effort you put towards it, they may be hell-bent on making it difficult for you. So you may have to put hard work into it.
This is where the input of a divorce lawyer becomes critical. If a fight is inevitable, the first step is gathering all the evidence you can find to build your case and counter the other side’s case.
This approach requires a lot of financial investment, time, and emotional energy for you and your loved ones. Still, it is necessary to ensure a strong defense and increase the chances of a favorable outcome.
Avoid Open Conflict in Court
The last thing you want is to paint yourself as the aggressor in court. Unfortunately, many people make this mistake, which significantly harms their case. Present yourself as the calm and collected one.
While the court’s decision is based more on the evidence and arguments presented, your demeanor and behavior can still have a strong impact on the outcome. This is especially true if child custody is a contentious issue in your divorce.
“I have seen many clients lose a lot more because they acted on emotion and decided to seek revenge instead of focusing on what truly matters. While you could succeed in giving your spouse or partner a hard time, you may also find yourself facing a hard time in the process,” says attorney, Galit Moskowitz, of Moskowitz Law Group, LLC, a New Jersey divorce lawyer.
Follow Your Lawyer’s Advice
You are the boss in your relationship with your lawyer. However, you have to let them do their job the best way they know how. If they have years of experience to their name, you can be sure they have worked on other cases like yours and know what works and what doesn’t.
Not everything they do or ask you to do will make sense; however, if you have trusted them enough to hire them, allow them to do the job you have hired them to do.