How to keep costs to a minimum in a California divorce

While the specific reasons a California couple decides to end their marriage in court is not directly related to cost, such issues can indeed have an impact on proceedings. For instance, if a divorce is contested, it may take longer to finalize than situations of uncontested lawsuits. The longer it takes to rectify problem issues, the greater the related expenses are likely to be.

Maintaining financial stability is a primary concern for most divorcing spouses. It definitely helps to try to resolve disagreements ahead of time, as disputes regarding child custody or property division issues can take weeks, even months, to resolve in court. The lowest-cost proceedings are often those where spouses choose to mediate their settlements rather than enter litigation.

State laws and other issues can affect the overall cost of divorce, as well. The location of a filing and which type of dispute resolution is chosen may increase or reduce expenses. Regarding legal support, some people think they will save a lot of money by negotiating their own settlements, but they later realize that they would have been much better off acting alongside experienced legal representation in court.

A California family law attorney can provide guidance and recommendations to help keep divorce expenses as low as possible. This state is one of nine that operates under community property laws, which means all marital assets and liabilities are typically split 50/50. An experienced attorney can help a concerned spouse make sure the final outcome does not compromise his or her financial interests.