Guidance from a Charleston, West Virginia Divorce Attorney
Now that you filed for divorce in West Virginia, it’s essential to know your next steps. The guidance of a divorce attorney can greatly assist you, especially if you have matters that need to be settled. For example, if you have children, you need to decide how you want to handle custody arrangements. Do you or your spouse need to pay child support or alimony? If your spouse is resisting the divorce, a mediator may need to get involved to help settle matters.
On an urgent note, if you believe that you or your children are in danger, your divorce attorney can help you file a protective order. Contact the police immediately, then call your divorce attorney to know what to do next.
What Happens After Divorce Papers Are Filed?
Once you have started the process of filing for divorce1, your spouse is going to receive a petition. Your spouse will have to answer this petition within 30 days. In their answer, they will state their position on the information that you have supplied. All of your demands will be addressed and can either be rejected, accepted, or purposed with a counter offer.
Legal Phases of Divorce
Next, you and your partner are going to need to exchange information that is relevant to the divorce. Investigations will typically be carried out at this point to make sure that your spouse and his or her lawyer are not trying to disclose any information. This phase is generally referred to as the discovery period.
Afterward, the negotiation period comes into play. You and your spouse will be able to sit down with your lawyers in attendance and work out a deal that is going to be agreeable to both of you. Once you have found something that is suitable, you will be able to put together a marital settlement agreement that will then be submitted to the court to be approved by a judge. During this phase, the process usually ends unless you cannot settle on an agreement.
What Happens If My Spouse and I Cannot Settle on an Agreement?
If you and your spouse cannot agree on divorce terms, you are going to end up going to trial. During the trial, you and your spouse will both have to testify and undergo cross-examination. Documents may need to be presented, and witnesses could be called to the stand. At the end of the proceeding, a judge will make a ruling on how the divorce will be settled.
Call Bradford Law Offices
You’re not alone when you are asking, ‘what comes next?’ An experienced divorce attorney is here to help. If you have any questions or concerns about what happens after filing for divorce in Charleston, West Virginia, or if you are looking for a family law attorney or divorce attorney in general, please do not hesitate to contact Bradford Law Offices, PLLC. Tim has many years of experience to provide you with the proper legal advice and assistance that can help you get through this difficult time. From straightforward divorce cases to more complicated divorce matters, Tim and the Bradford Law Offices, PLLC staff are here for you.
