Don’t Believe These 6 Myths About Divorce

Nobody ever anticipates themselves getting a divorce; if you know of anyone who walked into a marriage saying, “This is good, but in three years I fully intend to get into daily arguments with my spouse and then go through a brutal divorce process,” we’d sure like to meet them, because divorce usually is a process that’s not fun for anyone.

Perhaps that’s why there are so many myths and misconceptions regarding divorce; nobody thinks they’re going to get there, so you hear a lot of inaccurate and exaggerated claims about divorce that simply aren’t true.

At the Smith Law, we’ve dealt with an innumerable amount of divorce cases in the Covington and Cincinnati areas, so you can trust us when we say that we know the facts. In this blog post, we’ll break down some of the common myths about divorce.

Myth: Any Lawyer Can Handle a Divorce Because It’s Easy

Think again. While divorce can be a fairly routine process that has little complications, it would be an egregiously wrong statement to claim that this is always the case. Many divorce/custody cases are absolutely brutal, with a quagmire of legal complications that arise when two spouses are pitting themselves against each other. Add custody to the mix, and things get even messier. Finances, material assets, and living children aren’t easy to sort between two people who believe they’re both in the right.

It’s better to seek out a lawyer who is practiced in family law and thoroughly familiar with its processes and minutia. The results of your divorce hearing could impact you for the rest of your life — why would you leave that to someone who is an amateur in family law?

Myth: Divorce is Very Expensive, Especially When You Get a Lawyer

A lot of people have a natural trepidation of lawyers because it can be burdensome on the wallet to hire one, especially when it’s for a process you think you could make it through yourself. But did you know that utilizing divorce lawyers can actually make things cheaper in the long run? If you’re able to meet eye-to-eye with your spouse, a divorce lawyer can facilitate a mutual agreement that can be settled out of court — and that will absolutely be profoundly cheaper than the alternative.

Myth: Both Spouses Must Agree to a Divorce

A lot of people believe that they can’t pursue a divorce because their significant other would never go through with it. This isn’t true and it hasn’t been for a very long time! If you want a divorce, it’s within your legal rights to get one, period.

We will say that, in an ideal situation, both spouses agree to it, because a non-compliant spouse can greatly prolong the process and turn it into something much more ugly than it should be, but at the end of the day, if you want to get out of a divorce, you can, and if you’re in the Covington or Cincinnati areas, the Law Offices of Shannon C Smith will be happy to help.

Myth: Someone Has to be At Fault For You to Get a Divorce

Kentucky is a “no-fault” state, meaning that you don’t need a “reason” to get divorced. That is to say, one party doesn’t have to do something egregious to the other to constitute a divorce. If you decide you just don’t want to be in the marriage anymore, that’s within your rights. So, if you’re looking for a divorce, don’t do something crazy to jeopardize your marriage, because ultimately, it won’t make a difference as to whether or not you’re allowed to separate.

Myth: The Mother Always Gets Custody

While, in the majority of cases, custody tends to fall with the mother, it’s naive to think that you’ll automatically win the custody hearing just because you’re the mommy of the family. In fact, every single case is studied and analyzed profoundly by legal professionals, and the custody hearing is always made in the best interest of the children. If it’s very clear that the children’s lives will be better in every regard with their father, he’s probably going to be the one that wins the hearing.

When it comes to divorce, you have to be prepared for every possible scenario, including the convincing case your spouse’s lawyer will make for custody on their end. That’s why the onus is on you to find a competent and dependable divorce lawyer. At Shannon C. Law Offices, we’ve been providing that service to the people of Covington for years. Contact us if you’re looking for representation!

Myth: Happy Couples Don’t Ever Fight

First off, we’re not going to tell you that you shouldn’t get divorced. That, frankly, is not our call and is completely up to you and the specific context of your life. However, we want to shut down the myth that happy couples are eternally blissful and never see conflict.

Some couples start to entertain the idea of divorce because they feel like arguments or disagreements don’t have a place in a marriage. While things can certainly (and frequently do) get bad enough to warrant a divorce, don’t feel pressured into one just because you buy into the idea that every couple should be a happy, cute, romantic pairing straight out of a Disney movie. If you believe this, you’ve been lied to; just about every single couple, even the happiest ones, go through rough patches.

If you’ve both thoroughly considered the situation and truly feel like permanent separation is the best course of action, we will, by all means, be here to represent you at Shannon C Smith Law Offices. However, we also want everyone to be absolutely sure of this; sometimes, rough times are only temporary, and we wouldn’t want you to do something you both regret because you compare your life to an unrealistic standard. Ultimately, however, we’re not marriage counselors — we’re divorce lawyers, and the choice to separate is completely your call.

Shoot For the Best Possible Outcome For Your Divorce Hearing

We hope some of these myths about divorce and family law have been enlightening. At the Law Offices of Shannon C Smith in Covington, KY, we’ve been helping couples for years to go through with the divorce process. While it’s sad when you find yourself in a position you never wanted to be in, the best thing you can do is handle it with grace, and take every measure you can to ensure the best possible outcome.

That’s where we come in. We will make our best efforts to be your greatest advocate, and leave you in the most favorable position possible after everything is said and done. If you’re in the Covington or Cincinnati areas and you’re looking for legal representation relating to family law, contact us today to schedule a free consultation.