What to Expect if You Are Considering Getting a Divorce – Couples don’t usually enter a marriage with divorce in mind, but unfortunately, certain situations force a marriage to be broken beyond repair. If you are considering getting a divorce, you need to be aware of your rights and, in some cases, act quickly to avoid further damage, whether that be physical, mental, and emotional.
Seek Support and Advice
The most important consideration is to plan for the children, money, and property. Always ensure that you make safe arrangements for yourself and your children, even if that means no contact with the other parent. Divorces involving abuse and children are very complex and it is best to seek legal advice in this case. If you or your children have suffered or are at risk of suffering if you remain in the marriage, leave as soon as possible. Physical, sexual, emotional, and financial abuse are all reasons to get a divorce. Addiction, mistreatment, and an unchecked mental disorder are also reasons to seek a divorce. Some problems can be mediated and resolved, but ongoing abuse of any kind should not be tolerated.
Don’t settle early or forfeit your financial security, even if this means a long court battle. Remember that your children need your support but try to minimise talk about the process. The point of the divorce is to relieve stress for you and your children, so focus your time and energy on making sure you can assist them with homework, attend school events, and take them out for treats instead.
Applying for a Divorce
If you seek legal counsel, they will inform you about all the necessary paperwork required. You will need to supply the court with information regarding why the marriage broke down. This usually falls into the following categories: statements of adultery, unreasonable behaviour, desertion, or separation. With cases of abuse or mental illness, your solicitor may request a medico legal report. What is a medico legal report? This is a report created when medical knowledge is sought to answer legal questions. This report will include details of the condition (or abuse suffered), medical history, other medical facts, and delve into further treatment plans and professional opinion on progress or lack thereof.
For more details, check the following blog from Psymplicity.com: ‘What Is A Medico Legal Report?’ Psymplicity can provide this document for you, and they aim to offer the best possible outcome for your case with a quick turnaround time. They will establish whether a parent has a mental disorder and whether the symptoms thereof have a bearing on the children’s safety.
After Effects
Once the divorce is finalised, ensure that both parties stick to what has been put in place by the law. Do not fall back into old habits or allow your ex-partner to try to convince you to try again. Once you have decided to make the change for your mental, physical, and emotional well-being, start looking after your own interests. It is not easy, tensions will run high, and you may feel vulnerable, but stay strong and take steps to change your and your children’s lives for the better.
Focus on the good. Getting a divorce should give you hope: hope to be who you want and deserve to be, hope to be happy and safe, and the hope to find new love. Getting a divorce also shows your children that they deserve better, and must strive for healthy, happy, and respectful relationships. It is a lot worse for children to grow up in a hostile and unhappy environment than to go through a divorce. A happier parent is a more effective parent.
Poppy Watt