It is a well-known, but unfortunate fact that about 50% of first-time marriages in the United States of America end in divorce. There are many reasons for this; some reasons are valid while other reasons are not necessarily valid. Be it as it may, the scope of this article does not include which reasons for divorce are legitimate and which reasons are not valid. The fact is that marriages end up in divorce.
Additionally, it is easy for what starts as an amicable divorce to end up as an acrimonious divorce. While too much attention should not be paid, and conclusions should not be drawn from Hollywood celebrities or high-profile divorces like the Brad Pit and Angelina Jolie case, the entertainment industry, unfortunately, seems to have become both a representation of what happens in society as well as an example that tends to be followed by modern society. Simply stated, popular culture tends to think that if its acceptable for the Brad Pits and Angelina Jolie’s to go through an acrimonious divorce, then it is acceptable.
Reasons to avoid an acrimonious divorce
One of the primary reasons to avoid a bitter divorce is the impact it has on family members, especially children. Unless there are legal reasons why children should not have a relationship with both their parents such as the abuse of one or more children, it is vital for the children born (or adopted) during the marriage to have a relationship with both of their parents. Succinctly stated, fighting parents results in unhappy children; thereby running the risk of ending up with emotional challenges as they grow up.
The second most important reason to negotiate an amicable separation and divorce is that fighting over the marital property accumulated during the marriage delays the final settlement and causes unnecessary emotional challenges and economic hardship. Sorting out the termination of the marital relations, including accumulated assets and making custody and visitation arrangements for any children is hard enough without the divorce turning acrimonious.
The divorce attorney: Negotiating a divorce settlement
Thus, it makes sense to consult with a LA Divorce Attorney to help smooth the way to as amicable divorce as possible.
Why?
The salient point here is that a divorce lawyer is both a skilled and experienced mediator as well as a legal expert who is able to help the parties navigate their way through the legal separation of interests.
At the outset, employing an attorney to manage the divorce may seem like the expensive option in that a divorce attorney will charge for his/her services. However, because of the lawyer’s knowledge and experience, the final divorce settlement and order has a greater chance of being expedited through the negotiation, settlement, and the granting of the final order phases.
Also, the attorney’s mediation skills and experience will help prevent the divorce from turning bitter and being drawn out because neither party can reach an agreement on how to divide up the estate accrued within the marriage.
