Don’t let anyone fool you: Even the simplest divorce is complicated. Feelings get hurt. Negotiations stall. When you and your spouse simply can’t come to an agreement on the details of your divorce, you might be looking at a contested divorce.
Any divorce can be complicated simply because of the numerous assets that must be divided between the two spouses. A contested divorce in particular takes a long time to finalize and often has additional steps. For that reason, it is helpful to have a Maryland divorce lawyer to help protect your assets.
Every divorce begins with one spouse filing or petitioning for the divorce. As negotiations begin, it quickly will become obvious whether or not you can settle out of court.
If the spouses cannot agree on at least one important factor, then the divorce becomes contested. Issues that you and your spouse may be unable to agree on could include:
- Child custody
- Child support
- Alimony (spousal support)
- Debts
- Assets, such as property and vehicles
If you feel you and your spouse cannot agree on one of these important issues, then your Maryland divorce attorney can petition for a hearing to settle the disputed matter.
To prepare for the court hearing, your lawyer (or your spouse’s lawyer) may ask for pertinent financial information, such as:
- Income of each spouse
- Debts of each spouse
- Property records
- Credit card bills
- Any joint or personal banking accounts
Where children are the contested issue in Maryland, your lawyer may ask you to submit personal references or choose people to be your witnesses at the court hearing. These witness testimonies will help the judge with determining child custody.
Once each side has done the preparation work, a final hearing will be scheduled. The judge will hear both sides and will have final say in how your assets, debts, and time with your children are divided.
It is important to have an experienced Maryland divorce lawyer on your side to persuasively argue your case before the judge. Call the attorneys of Nickelsporn and Lundin at 1-800-875-9700 to see how we can make your contested divorce a little easier.