A divorce can be one of the hardest experiences a family faces. The emotional impact of divorce is difficult, and stressful financial decisions can cause more complications.
When navigating a divorce, you will need to make decisions about lawyers, home ownership, child custody, child support and splitting assets.
Lawyers and Mediators
It is common for people seeking a divorce to work with lawyers to help them with the legal aspects. Although it can be costly to work with a lawyer, attorneys offer expertise on how to split assets fairly and legally.
Do You Need a Lawyer?
If you and your spouse are able to agree, you may be able to handle your divorce yourselves with the help of a neutral third-party mediator. Even if you and your spouse are divorcing on cordial terms, it can be hard to decide what’s fair for both of you. A lawyer can be an advocate to help you make tough decisions.
Finding a Lawyer
Finding the right lawyer is important. You want someone you can trust to guide you through a difficult process. Check his or her credentials and qualifications carefully so you can find the best person to represent your interests in your divorce.
Reducing Legal Fees
If you can, negotiate a fixed fee for your attorney. Otherwise, you can reduce fees by remaining actively involved in your case and following your lawyer’s instructions carefully. Before a lawyer represents you, you will need to sign a written fee agreement. This is a legal document explaining the fees that your lawyer will charge.
Divorce and Home Ownership
A house is often seen as more than an asset. It's where you live. You may have put a lot of hard work into making the house feel like home, and it can be a difficult decision to give that up during a divorce. However, in these unfortunate circumstances, rights to home ownership will differ depending on the law you follow. For expats, there is usually a choice of jurisdiction in which a divorce may take place. Jurisdictions to consider would be that of the husband or wife’s home country (irrespective of where they now live), or the local UAE court.
