Reliable Divorce Guidance

We know this is hard.

It wasn’t the words that were said, though they were certainly awful.  What you do remember is that moment of clarity when you just knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that it was over.  You don’t know exactly how it happened, but now that it has, you don’t know what to do.

When was the last time you got through a day without fighting?  Or maybe that was the problem – you never fought.  Looking back, you realize you never fought because you never talked.  The day you exchanged vows feels like it happened to someone else.  You didn’t get married to get divorced.  Wait, that’s a cliché.  How did you become a cliché?

Life, as you know it, is about to change.

This can’t be happening.

It wasn’t perfect, but it was your life.  You had a routine.  You were in control.  You knew what was going to happen tomorrow.  You were confident in your ability to fix any problems that arose.  But not now.  Will you ever get back to where you were?

You know you need a lawyer, but the idea of trusting your life, your children, and your future to a stranger is anything but comforting.  This is your life.  How can you not know how to put the pieces back together?  After all, no one else know you or your children the way you do.  But how can you make decisions when you’re buried in a sea of legal confusion?  The system is complicated, the paperwork overwhelming, and the entire process seems like it’s designed to drain you financially and emotionally.

Why can’t I get answers to my questions?

Lawyers are unapproachable and distant.  Maybe they don’t mean to be, but they’re experts in the law.  And let’s face it – the law is pretty scary, especially divorce law.  Everyone has a divorce horror story, and most of those stories involve divorce attorneys.  Your sister’s attorney told her to “take the deal or else I quit,” making her feel as though she had no choice but to settle.  Your best friend’s attorney never returned phone calls and showed up to court unprepared.  Your neighbor had to take another mortgage on his house to afford an attorney and ended up losing it to foreclosure.

Divorce is a black hole that sucks your time, energy, money, and life inside, and you just can’t seem to get any of it back.  You’re reduced to strange legal terms – you’re no longer a person, but a “party” or a “client.”  Your children are referred to as “the minors” and suddenly your precious time with them has been reduced to percentages and somehow affects child support.

The lawyers on the other hand seem to know exactly what is going on.  Your questions are cut off with condescending remarks (if they bother to respond at all).  You need access to information and you’re kept in the dark by the lawyers, the judge, and the entire legal system.  How is this possible when it’s your life on the line, not theirs?

How am I going to survive?

Is there going to be enough money to pay the mortgage this month?  What about the credit card bills that are piling up?  How are you supposed to afford a lawyer when you aren’t even sure if there are funds in the checking account for this week’s groceries?

Your family is going to be so disappointed that you’re getting a divorce.  You were once the model couple, the one that everyone was jealous of.  Does this mean that your children are destined for their own failed marriages in the future?  How are you going to be able to go to work and pretend like everything is normal when your life is falling apart?  What is normal?

Not all lawyers are the same.  We’re different by design.

We know what it’s like dealing with other law firms and lawyers – after all, it’s what we do for a living.  We don’t like being put on hold for 10 minutes, being told to send something by fax, or having to try and convert that pesky Word Perfect file.  That’s why we chose to be different.  It’s probably a little confusing to other attorneys out there, but that’s okay.  We’re not here for them – we’re here to help you.

That’s why we designed our website for people like you.  No other California divorce website offers the combination of videos, articles, and other free resources we provide to the general public.  We’re pretty proud of our efforts to educate and make the law accessible to everyone, and we hope you find our site a valuable and trusted resource.

It’s never the “perfect” time.

If you’re reading this, you know what you need to do.  It won’t ever feel good or comfortable, but it’s the right step to take.  Jumping into your divorce without fully understanding your rights and options will leave you confused and disappointment.  You may end up making mistakes that cost you thousands of dollars and a lot of heartache.  Even if you have hope that your marriage can still be saved, it’s a good idea to know what’s involved.

Maybe you prefer to be the one to respond to the divorce.  That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be prepared.  You want to learn as much as you can before the process starts, so that you won’t be scrambling around at the last minute looking for help.

You need clear answers and a game plan now, before things get messy.  You might not be in full control of your life right now, but you don’t have the luxury of pretending this isn’t happening.  Your children need you now, more than ever.  What you do now impacts their lives, perhaps forever.