People often forget that their marriage is a legal contract until they decide they want a divorce. Each spouse should have their own Divorce Attorney in Riverside to protect their personal and financial interests as they proceed through the legal process of divorce. It’s important to have a lawyer that makes sure that assets and liabilities are evenly distributed. Divorce is one of the leading causes of bankruptcy in the United States. When two incomes suddenly have to support two households instead of one, it can be very difficult financially.
If the spouses don’t have children, then the major focus of the divorce will be on determining the economic wealth in the relationship and who is entitled to which assets. If the spouses can’t determine who is entitled to each asset, the judge may order that they all be sold and the proceeds evenly divided. If a family business is involved, it might be best that the spouses do not attempt to continue to be business partners. They will either have to sell the business to an outsider or one spouse will have to buy the other out. This can lead to an intense battle over the current and future value of the company.
When children are involved the judge will maintain oversight of the custody and care of any minor children. Many people are shocked to realize that they actually have to have legal permission to make decisions about the care of their children. A judge determines which parent will have sole-custody of the children or if both parents will participate in a joint-custody arrangement. He will also decide how much each parent will have to pay to support the children.
If a parent wants to move to a new location for personal or professional reasons, the judge will have to approve that as well. Part of the parenting agreement may be that the spouses live within a certain distance from each other. When a parent begins dating again, the other parent may object to the person they are dating. The objecting parent may even have a private investigator look into their date’s background. This information could be presented to the judge, if the parent fears for the safety of their children.