6 Things to do Before You File for Divorce

by | Jun 10, 2020 | Divorce

If you’re contemplating filing for divorce, you’ve probably already found the process overwhelming and emotionally draining. It’s not as simple as filing a complaint and expecting things to fall into place. Your emotions are impacted because no one is ever fully prepared to walk away from what was meant to be a permanent situation. However, you can do a few things to make the process easier by preparing yourself with the help of a divorce attorney.

Is Divorce Your Best Option?

Divorce is painful for both parties, no matter what the circumstances may be. This is especially true when there are children in the picture. You can be fed up with certain situations and think about separation during those moments of anger. But take some time to consider your options. Try to weigh things when you’re calm and collected. Look at the pros and cons. Never make decisions at the height of your anger and frustration. Once you’ve made the decision to divorce it can be impossible to take it back, so think very carefully if this is what you want to do.

Find the Right Divorce Attorney For You

Good divorce attorneys aren’t cheap, so you need to be prepared for the cost of hiring a legal professional to guide you through the process. However, you can also expect the best quality of service from professionals who know precisely how the whole divorce process works. Also, make sure that your attorney listens thoughtfully to all of the details and concerns regarding your divorce. They need to have a very clear picture of the situation you’re facing.

Discuss Your Custody Situation With Your Attorney

A custody battle is one of the most common events to occur during divorce proceedings. Typically, couples have shared custody of the children unless there are specific circumstances that prevent that from happening. If both you and your partner are in agreement, you can decide how to arrange your schedules to fulfill your duties as parents.

Prepare Your Financial Disclosures

All of the decisions you make during the divorce process will affect you and the lives of your children. Your financial disclosures will be scrutinized by the other side as well as the court. In fact, they’re an integral part of the paperwork you need to prepare and will be used as a tool for settlement purposes, or in litigation if settlement is not possible. Your divorce attorney should spend time to fully understand your financial situation and thoroughly prepare your disclosures. The job of your attorney is to help you through this whole process with the least amount of complications.

Options For Your New Living Arrangement

During the divorce process, you will want to ensure that you and your children are living comfortably. You may want your partner to leave the premises, or you may opt to have them there during the process. This is where the decision of who gets to live in the marital home comes in, during and after the divorce is finalized.

Stay on Top of the Situation with Help From Your Attorney

If you’re filing for divorce, you need to take charge too. You cannot expect everything to happen according to what you want without taking initiative. While you may be emotionally exhausted, this major decision you’ve undertaken will require your active participation in the process.

Once you’ve completed your divorce proceedings, you’re ready to start a new life on your own. It can be a challenging experience to get through, but if you’re determined, you can make it work. For a free initial consultation, contact Whipple, Mercado & Associates, LLP, today — 925-344-5050. We respond promptly to all email messages and phone calls.

Tammy J. Mercado

Tammy J. Mercado has a passion for helping her clients achieve their desired results. She listens and she personally and promptly responds to your texts, emails and phone calls. She offers real solutions to your legal matters. Tammy will carefully evaluate the legal issues in your case, provide you with sound advice and offer you the pros and cons of each possible scenario so you can meet your legal objectives. She encourages clients to participate in their own matters. Tammy believes that client participation is key to a positive result and to keeping attorney fees as low as possible. You can be sure that she will offer you straightforward, sound and honest advice in a professional manner, with integrity and excellence.

Before opening her own law practice, Tammy worked for many high-volume law firms. This gave her extensive, diversified experience in hundreds of complex family law cases as well as civil matters. She is admitted to practice law before all courts in California and the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. She is also a member of the American Bar Association, the Contra Costa Bar Association, the Alameda County Bar Association and the Bar Association of San Francisco. Tammy is also a member of the Rotary Club of Danville.

Tammy is a graduate of John F. Kennedy School of Law and holds a Bachelor of Science in business management from the University of Phoenix. Tammy is also a licensed real estate broker, which comes in handy for valuing property in family law cases as well as real estate matters in the civil arena.

During her off time, Tammy is an avid sailor who crews and races on various boats in the San Francisco Bay. Tammy approaches each case as she would any yacht race: by assessing the other’s strengths, weaknesses, experience, equipment, history and reputation. She is a member of the American Sailing Association, and she is a certified Coast Guard Auxiliary member.

HONORS AND AWARDS
Tammy was selected to receive the prestigious “Business Person of the Year” Award in 2017 for the San Ramon Chamber of Commerce.

Tammy is currently serving as Danville Rotary President for 2017 through 2019.

Mary C. Whipple, CFLS

Mary C. Whipple opened her first law practice in the summer of 2008. She previously was an associate attorney at the Law Office of Cummins & Holmes, a full-service civil litigation law firm in San Ramon. The majority of her experience is in family law, which includes divorce, custody, support, prenuptial agreements and domestic-violence restraining orders. Certified by the California State Bar’s Board of Legal Specialization, she is a specialist in the area of family law. Mary has also represented clients in a variety of non-family-law cases, including juvenile dependency, probate, breach of contract and employment disputes, to name a few.

Mary also previously worked as a contract attorney for O’Melveny & Meyers in San Francisco while simultaneously volunteering at the Bar Association of San Francisco’s Volunteer Legal Services Program, representing defendants in unlawful detainer actions. The program acknowledged Mary with an Outstanding Volunteer in Public Service Award in 2006 for her efforts in providing access to justice.

A seventh-generation Californian, Mary is a graduate of Loyola University Chicago School of Law. She earned her Bachelor of Science in criminology at Southern Oregon University in Ashland, Oregon. She is a member of the State Bar of California, the Alameda County Bar Association, and the Contra Costa County Bar Association.

In addition, Mary is active in her community as a member of the Ambassador’s Committee for the San Ramon Chamber of Commerce; a volunteer at the Contra Costa County and Alameda County Superior Courts, where she assists self-represented litigants in completing their divorces; and a member of Divorce Angel, where she provides information regarding family law matters to members of the community. Since 2007 she has been a volunteer judge for Alameda and Contra Costa County’s Annual High School Moot Court Competition. She is also a member of the Danville/Sycamore Valley Rotary Club. She was awarded the San Ramon Chamber of Commerce 2012 Business Person of the Year; and a graduate of the 2012 class of Leadership San Ramon Valley.

CERTIFIED LEGAL SPECIALTIES
Certified Specialist in Family Law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization