Is there such a thing as a “friendly” divorce any more?
Law firms across the country are seeing an uptick in the number of divorce battles being fought years after a split had been settled amicably. The problem with amicable divorce settlements, many lawyers are seeing, is that they tend to leave things very open-ended without a final legal ruling from a Family Court judge. As a result, what one party thought was a done deal turns out to be anything but when the other partner makes a claim or attempts to modify part of the divorce agreement.
The dangers of an informal, amicable divorce
One party could end up feeling financially threatened or otherwise hurt if the other party makes claims that weren’t in the initial divorce agreement. The pressure of a divorce and subsequent sense that the old marriage had “unfinished business” may cause strain on new relationships.
For this reason, your local Baltimore family law firm and other legal advisers suggest that you always get your divorce papers finalized and formalized in the presence of a judge, even if you believe that the split is amicable. Where money and assets are involved, and especially with the anemic economic recovery, there may be no such thing as an amicable divorce.
The fact is, people change. Times change, and without a legal document in hand, an ex-spouse may file a divorce claim against you decades after the marriage was finalized. Without proper documents, it is your word against your spouse’s, and the spouse could very easily claim whatever he or she wanted and present it in court as fact.
A growing trend
With difficulties abounding in many areas of life, more and more couples seeking divorce opt not to go through the courts. However, legal experts warn that this growing trend could lead to far more heartache and difficulty down the line. It is easy to go with your lawyer to meet with a judge and finalize your divorce papers, and this small trip could save you from a terrible surprise some time down the line.
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