You deserve to come out of your divorce with a fair share of the assets and a favorable custody arrangement for your children. Studies have shown that women often fair worse than men after divorce because of gaps in their employment history, income disparity, and disproportionate childcare responsibilities. Hiring a divorce lawyer for women can help fight for divorce terms that offset, rather than exacerbate, these inequalities.
8 Benefits of Hiring a Divorce Lawyer for Women
1. Learn How Much the Shared Assets Are Really Worth
It is common for spouses to hide assets from each other, and men are more likely to conceal assets than women. Divorce attorneys understand how to uncover these assets for the purposes of a fair division. If your spouse is caught lying under oath about the value of the assets, they could be found guilty of perjury and/or contempt of court. Penalties include being obligated to pay your legal fees and getting awarded a smaller portion of the shared assets.
2. Prepare for a Biased Legal System
In the Ohio legal system, there are a disproportionate number of male judges. While all judges are required to view cases without gender bias, the truth is that stereotypes and prejudices are subconscious matters that cannot always be controlled. Hiring a divorce attorney who specializes in representing women is a way to benefit from the experience of a professional who has gone up against the legal system’s biases in the past.
3. Fight for Adequate Child Support
Caring for children as a single woman is always challenging, however, having adequate financial support can mitigate the stressors. A women’s attorney will work to maximize your share of the assets, your child support, and any spousal support for which you are eligible.
The attorney you choose should understand that because women are usually awarded a higher level of custody than men, they incur a disproportionate amount of parenting costs, such as school supplies, clothing, and recreational items. Additionally, your attorney should know that because women tend to spend more time with their children than men, there is less time for women to devote to career advancement following a divorce.
4. Get Your Fair Share of the Assets
Working with an attorney will show your ex that you are serious about receiving all the assets to which you are entitled. While relations with your ex might be amicable, it is important to remember that when a couple is in the process of divorcing, their interests are at odds with one another.
Often, men and their attorneys try to guilt women into settling for divorce terms that are not equitable. Having a lawyer means benefiting from an objective outsider who represents your interests exclusively.
5. Safeguard Your Interests
Divorce can be a volatile process, and even if things start out smoothly with your ex, they might end on a difficult note. Working with a lawyer from the beginning gives you a legal resource to fall back on in case your ex changes their mind on an important issue at the last minute or becomes uncooperative.
6. Ensure Your Divorce Gets Finalized
Statistically, women are 69% more likely to initiate a divorce than men. Therefore, they are more likely to be faced with the prospect of a spouse who resists the divorce. Contrary to some people’s beliefs, you can still get a divorce even if your spouse does not sign off on it.
If your spouse does not respond to your petition for divorce, the divorce goes into default. A divorce lawyer for women can guide you through the paperwork you must submit to finalize a divorce that is in default. If necessary, your lawyer can even show you how to serve your spouse by publication if you cannot present the paperwork in person.
7. Keep You Informed About Your Rights
A women’s divorce lawyer is your ultimate resource for information on your rights regarding asset division, custody arrangements, child support, and spousal support. Your lawyer can help you make decisions that will allow you to exercise your rights to the full extent of the law. For example, if you have grounds for an at-fault divorce that would yield a greater share of the assets, your lawyer might advise against filing for an uncontested divorce.
8. Avoid Mistakes With the Paperwork
Before a judge can make your divorce official, you will need to submit legal documents according to preset deadlines. These documents disclose information about your intent to divorce, the length of your marriage, your finances, and your children. Your lawyer can make sure you understand which documents to submit and how to fill them out so that you do not make an error that could delay the divorce process or jeopardize your share of the assets.
Getting you through your divorce efficiently and securing favorable terms is paramount for a qualified women’s divorce lawyer. Not only does having an attorney who understands gender biases prepare you to fight for the kind of settlement you deserve, but you will also gain the advantage of trustworthy legal advice and representation.