Prepare and Protect Yourself

First and Foremost, Get an Attorney - Divorce Court is no place for you to be without competent counsel. You need an experienced Family Law attorney. Feel free to contact us to schedule a consultation.

Don't Sign Anything - Many people have made the mistake of signing papers or preliminary agreements, which later caused the outcome of property and custody battles to be decided against them. You may be signing something that no attorney can modify later. Don't do it! If your spouse wants you to sign something, politely say you'll be glad to, but your attorney has "ordered you not to sign anything" before he or she has a look at it.

Start Keeping A Daily Journal - Record any significant event, including telephone calls, time spent with the children, arguments with your spouse, information you discover that may have a bearing on your divorce, etc. Keep this journal in a secure location. Be aware that this written record may be used as evidence, (and seen by opposing counsel) so stick to the facts and date all entries. One possible way to keep this journal from being subpoenaed is to start off each entry by addressing it "To My Attorney, (attorney's name)" so that it automatically becomes "privileged communication" and is therefore not open to subpoena. You may also want to keep a second journal just for yourself, for your personal thoughts and feelings.

Be Prepared for False Allegations - A common (and effective) tactic is to accuse you of domestic violence, or worse yet, of molesting your children. Often, false allegations are made in an attempt to gain (or re-gain) control of custody proceedings. You should contact your attorney at once if this occurs.

If ANY Domestic Violence Occurs, Call The Police - Don't allow your spouse to commit ANY domestic violence against you or your children. Call the police at once, insist that an officer come to your residence and file a report. Contact your attorney's office and inform them as soon as possible. You may also want to consider filing a Restraining Order if you fear that you or your children may be subjected to further acts of domestic violence.