4 Things to do when you find out your spouse filed for divorce
Divorce is not easy and people who are involved in it will have to face that fact. Separation is definitely hard for both parties and oftentimes, some are unprepared for it. It affects people mentally, emotionally, and financially and if you don’t know exactly what to do, it can be exhausting and draining. If it came as a surprise to you, you have to know that the world is not ending. You must take immediate action in order to protect your legal and financial rights and your future.
Here are the 4 things you should when you find out your spouse filed for divorce.
- Make sure to read the papers thoroughly.
Do not commit the huge mistake of not reading the divorce papers thoroughly. It can be a hard thing to do emotionally and you may just want your lawyer to do everything for you but you have to be fully informed as the papers that you currently have may have a wealth of information that you need. It should list the court where it was filed and should indicate if your spouse filed it on his or her own or has retained an attorney for it.
- Respond to the complaint or petition for divorce.
Once you have read the divorce papers, you should provide a response. The divorce should indicate the number of days that you should respond to it. Typically, people provide responses to divorce papers through an attorney. However, there are also instances where people can do it in his or her own, especially if they don’t have the funds to retain an attorney. Make sure to make a response to each of the numbered statements that are stated in the complaint and not simply respond with a denial of the statements.
- Hire an attorney that specializes in family law and divorce.
It is very important that you have legal counsel in this situation considering that you need someone who is an expert in legal rights and options. You should retain an attorney, especially if the other party already has so that you can protect yourself and your rights. You need someone who can represent you and will advocate for your rights. Choose someone that specializes in this field so you can be assured that you will receive the expert assistance you need. Hire an attorney that is credible to represent you in this matter.
- Make time to gather all the important documents.
Once you have contacted an attorney, you and the other party will be asked to present certain documents. This will include preliminary documents that provide identification such as birth certificates, social security cards, and marriage certificate. Moreover, you may also be required to gather your financial documents such as bank statements, credit card statements, tax returns, and others. These documents are used to identify the assets, debts, income which will be needed in the divorce process. This is the very reason why hiring an attorney is very important because you need to protect your assets.