In Cleveland County Oklahoma last year there were just over 1500 divorce or legal separation cases filed. This is a staggering number of cases in a county that boasts 240,000 people. Odds are that during the year you will hear about 4 divorces happening to acquaintances, 2 happening to friends, and 1 might have happened to you. In fact, there was an average of 1800 new marriage licenses issued in 2011. So the marriage to divorce ratio results in about 83% of marriages ending in divorce. These dismal numbers are not meant to dissuade you from marriage, but they should stick with you when you encounter those 4 acquaintances, 2 friends, and possibly yourself in 2012.
The pure purpose of this blog entry is not to give you some “un-checked” statistics about the deplorable state of marriage in Cleveland County Oklahoma, but it is to give you few hints on how you might avoid a bitterly long, knock-down, drag-out divorce.
The first common mistake is overreaction. Don’t call up your friend who religiously watched Jerry Springer, and now that it is off air has a vacant hole in her life that she wants to fill by inflaming your rage and emotions towards your perfidious spouse.
Overreaction to a proposed divorce, whatever the cause, also leads you to a lot of mistakes. Don’t just throw a plate or punch a hole in the wall and storm out the door leaving your life behind.
Why give up the house, your car, the kids, photos, documents, computers, and the dog to the spouse who is at least partially responsible for the failed marriage. Getting a divorce is a long process that often takes up to a year to complete. The divorce is not final until the Judge says so, so for the time being try to hang on to your life sans the spouse.
When you start the divorce you are going spend an estimated $1,000.00 extra trying to get a copy of the bank statements, car titles, photos, and tax returns. These production materials are essential to any divorce and should be kept close at hand. Keeping cool and pre-planning your exodus, you can save thousands of dollars on attorney fees, by simply getting copies of all of your important financial documents and taking them with you.
Finally, before you file for divorce, or make take your things and leave, you should meet with an attorney. You should do something that helps you deal with the end of your marriage. Get advice from an experienced attorney and ultimately you will approach your divorce smarter and with a more level head.
If you are going through a similar circumstance call the office of Cindy Allen and Associates (405) 701-8856. Our experienced staff and expert lawyers will help you weigh out the situation and proceed in a logical and successful manner.
