Five Common Divorce Myths Debunked

Divorce has become so common that nearly everyone has heard stories of what happens from friends, family, co-workers, or other sources. What many people don’t realize is that the experiences they hear from these stories don’t always hold true since they’re unique to that specific family law matter. This means your own divorce can be dramatically different depending on your unique circumstances. However, this has still managed to create several myths and misconceptions about divorce laws. Let’s set the record straight on a few of them.

Children Prevent Divorce

Having a child to prevent a divorce is never a good idea. Two things can happen in this instance: the divorce happens anyway, or you and your spouse stay together but are obviously unhappy. Neither of these are ideal for raising your child, so you’re far better of simply getting a divorce before having children together if you find you and your spouse are unhappy with each other.

Disagreements Lead to Divorce

Arguments and fights happen in nearly every relationship. They’re part of marriage. You and your spouse are two different people who have your own opinions on things and it’s not out of the realm of possibility that your opinions conflict on an issue occasionally. This doesn’t mean your relationship is over, but rather that it’s your duty to work through the issue together to come to a resolution.

Divorce is Expensive

Depending on the nature of your divorce, this doesn’t have to be true. If you and your spouse are constantly at each other’s throats and can’t agree on anything, your divorce will likely cost you a lot more since your case will take numerous additional court visits, litigation sessions, and billable hours for your attorneys. However, if you genuinely work together to come to a mutually-beneficial and satisfactory solution, your divorce won’t be a bank-breaker.

Children Always Stay With the Mother

Family law instructs judges to initially hold both spouses on equal footing when entering child custody negotiations. From there, evidence to support each parent’s ability to raise their child will help them determine how custody should be awarded. Courts generally try to keep both parents involved in the lives of their children these days, so it’s actually quite rare for one parent to be awarded sole custody.

I Don’t Need an Attorney

No matter how simple you think your divorce may be, it’s foolish to attempt to navigate your divorce without the assistance of a Newport Beach divorce lawyer. Divorce is immensely complex, requiring loads of paperwork and a detailed understanding of family law in order to obtain the best possible result. Additionally, if your spouse retains an attorney and you do not, it’s not unlikely that you could lose a ton that you may otherwise be entitled to, including possessions, property, child custody or visitation, and maybe even be forced to pay spousal support that you otherwise shouldn’t have to. The benefits of having an attorney dramatically outweigh the cost.

If you’re looking for an attorney to help you with your case, make the call to Burch Shepard Family Law Group today. With more than 130 years of combined experience, our team has the knowledge and ability you can trust to help you with your case. We are dedicated to helping you obtain a positive and beneficial solution for your whole family, and we fight to protect you and your rights throughout your divorce process. We are proud to have been selected to Super Lawyers® and have even been named Certified Family Law Specialists by the California Board of Legal Specialization.