While there are certain steps necessary to obtaining a divorce and beginning the New Mexico divorce process that are common to all cases and a general flow that applies to every case, no one divorce proceeding is the same.
The length of time it takes to get a divorce and the different steps that have to be taken during that time can be greatly influenced by the parties negotiating and discussing ways to settle the issues in the case.
Cordell & Cordell New Mexico divorce attorneys typically encourage their clients to take charge of their divorce case and not allow the major decisions that will need to be made before the divorce is final to be left in the hands of a Judge who knows absolutely nothing about him and his family other than what he can read in court documents and what he hears during a brief period of testimony in the courtroom.
When parties are unable to work together to settle their differences, various methods of alternative dispute resolution are available to assist the parties in reaching a settlement.
Settling the issues in a divorce case without a trial saves the parties a great deal of time and money. This allows the parties to obtain the final divorce decree with as little disruption to their family as possible. It also minimizes the third party involvement of the courts in making decisions about a person’s life.
Although it is impossible to give a specific or detailed timeline of all of the steps that will comprise a particular divorce case, generally speaking, spouses can assume that at the very least the following will occur as part of the New Mexico divorce process:
The most expensive and time-consuming parts of a divorce are the discovery period and trial. These are also the parts of the divorce case that can be most easily avoided by the parties communicating and working together to come to an agreement about child custody and timesharing, property division, and the financial matters involved in the marriage.
If at all possible, leave the decision-making about your children’s and your own futures in your hands – don’t leave it to the court’s gavel.
If you are a man facing divorce in New Mexico, you should contact a New Mexico divorce lawyer to ensure your rights are protected. Cordell & Cordell Albuquerque divorce lawyers are licensed to practice throughout the state and are available for consultations should you seek additional information or possible legal representation. Please call 1-866-DADS-LAW to schedule an appointment.