Mistakes to Avoid When Getting a Divorce in West Virginia
By Tim Bradford | Published on August 2, 2011 | 0 Comments
Divorce laws in the state of West Virginia are extremely complex, which is why couples in the state are never advised to handle these cases on their own without the guidance of an attorney.
This is especially true in cases where a divorcing couple has children. That is one of the reasons why Charleston, WV, divorce lawyer Tim Bradford says there is no such thing as a simple divorce when children are involved.
As Bradford explains, it is a huge mistake for couples who have children to try saving a few dollars up front by agreeing to not hire lawyers for their divorce. Couples that try managing their divorce cases without the guidance of a lawyer will often end up in more financial trouble than those that took the time to seek representation.
Bradford is a divorce lawyer in Charleston, WV, who has been around long enough to see all types of problems occur when couples try getting divorced without their own attorneys. He has seen many cases in which husbands or wives were surprised when their spouse – who had previously said he or she was not going to hire an attorney – showed up in court with legal representation. This had led to many frantic calls to Bradford’s office asking for last-minute help. Unfortunately, by the time the court process has already begun it is usually too late.
People who are going through a divorce need to get in contact with an attorney from the beginning – especially in cases where there are children involved. It does not matter how congenial a husband or a wife is being, there is no way to tell what that person is capable of saying or doing in court. Agreements that couples made inside their homes frequently go out the window when they are standing in front of a judge, and Bradford is a divorce lawyer in Charleston, WV, who takes the time to prepare his clients for these types of realities.
One of the main reasons why couples say they are going to handle divorce on their own is to save money, however these types of situations oftentimes lead to one spouse getting railroaded over by another and not getting all the compensation that he or she deserves.
Specifically, Bradford has worked with many clients who had no idea how much money their spouses had saved in 401k accounts and retirement plans. Had they not worked with an attorney who had ample experience in this area, they may have walked away with only a tiny percentage of what they were really owed.
Although there are cases where Bradford says it makes sense for couples to handle divorces on their own, these instances are incredibly limited. Couples that have children, joint assets, and those who have been together for a number of years need to get in contact with a divorce lawyer in Charleston, WV, for guidance when they decide a split is imminent.
*Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. You should not rely on this article as a legal opinion on any specific facts or circumstances, and you should not act upon this information without seeking professional counsel. Publication of this article and your receipt of this article does not create an attorney-client relationship.