Articles

When your spouse tries to provoke you during divorce, preparation and taking time before responding can make a difference. By slowing your response, staying future focused, and avoiding emotional reactions, you protect yourself, your children, and the progress of your case. Why Conflict Feels So Intense During Divorce During divorce, emotions tend to sit close to the surface. Stress, frustration, and fatigue make it easier for a single comment to trigger a strong reaction. Your spouse knows your history and understands which buttons to push, sometimes intentionally and sometimes without thinking. When this happens, reactions often come before thoughtful responses. That is why arguments can escalate quickly and leave you regretting what was said or written. Recognizing that provocation is likely helps you prepare instead…

Putting your children first during divorce supports their emotional and mental health and helps them build healthier relationships later in life. A cooperative process, such as Collaborative Divorce, allows parents to focus on their children’s real needs rather than conflict. Why Putting Children First Matters Children are deeply affected by how divorce unfolds. Ongoing conflict places them in a constant state of stress, which can interfere with healthy emotional and mental development. That stress does not simply disappear once the divorce is final. In some cases, it can lead to lasting challenges that follow children into adulthood. Parents want their children to grow into healthy, well-adjusted adults, and how you handle divorce plays a role in that development. Putting children first means keeping them out…

Divorce does not have to destroy your finances, your mental health, or your family relationships. Even when emotions run high, there are ways to resolve issues privately, fairly, and with less conflict through options like Mediation and Collaborative Divorce. Many people enter divorce believing it will be a long, exhausting fight that leaves lasting damage behind. That belief alone can shape how the process unfolds. In reality, there are important truths about divorce that often go unspoken. Understanding them early can help you make decisions that protect your finances, your family, and your well-being. 1) Divorce Does Not Have to Be a Battle One of the biggest surprises people learn too late is that divorce does not have to feel like a war. Even when…

If Mediation or Collaborative Divorce does not lead to an agreement, your case moves into the court system. A judge may require more Mediation, issue temporary orders, and ultimately make decisions for your family. You lose control over the outcome, your case becomes public, and the process becomes more expensive. When Mediation or Collaboration Does Not Lead to a Full Agreement Mediation and Collaborative Divorce are highly successful for most families, but there are times when they do not result in a full agreement. This may happen because emotions are running high, one spouse refuses to participate, or progress stalls for reasons outside of your control. When this occurs, your case shifts from private discussions to the formal court system. What It Means to Enter…

Avoiding court during your divorce will save money because you reduce attorney time, avoid court-driven deadlines, and limit the conflict. Mediation and Collaborative Divorce keep your divorce discussions focused on solutions instead of arguments, which lowers the overall cost and helps you reach agreements more efficiently. Why the Court Process Increases the Cost of a Divorce When you file for divorce in court, the process immediately becomes more expensive. Deadlines start running the moment documents are filed. Your attorney must prepare pleadings, respond to filings, and follow court requirements, even while you are still trying to settle your case. This creates a situation where you pay for both preparation and negotiation at the same time. Court filings also increase tension. When one side files something…

In Missouri, you don’t need to prove who was at fault to get divorced. If you or your spouse had an affair that led to the divorce that fact is may not be significant. However, that misconduct can influence property division, financial decisions, and even support, in particular, if marital money was spent on the affair. While the courts focus on fairness, the emotional impact of an affair often makes divorce more challenging, making Mediation or Collaborative Divorce more helpful in reaching a settlement. No-Fault Divorce in Missouri Missouri is a no-fault divorce state. This means you do not need to show who was at fault to end your marriage. You simply have to state that the relationship cannot be saved. While an affair may…

Even the simplest divorce can create costly mistakes if you go through it alone.  A family law attorney will protect your rights, help you make sound decisions, and prevent problems that could surface years later.   The short-term savings on representing yourself can end up costing you more in legal fees over the long-term. Emotions Make It Hard to Think Like a Business Deal Divorce is both legal and emotional. When you try to represent yourself, emotions can take over and cloud your judgment. You may agree to something just to get it over with, or you may refuse to compromise when a fair settlement is possible. An attorney gives you an objective perspective and helps you focus on the legal and financial issues that will…

Both Collaborative Divorce and Mediation help you avoid court, but they offer different types of support. Mediation may work well if you and your spouse can communicate and are informed. Collaborative Divorce provides more structure and team-based support, which is helpful for families with concerns that require extra guidance. Collaborative Divorce and Mediation Help You Stay Out of Court If you are looking for a more peaceful way to divorce, Mediation and Collaborative Divorce are two strong options. Both allow you to stay out of court and make your own decisions. The difference lies in the level of support and who is involved in the process. In Mediation, you work with a neutral third party, meeting either alone or with your attorneys participating. This can…