Just in case you would like to pay more to your attorney during your divorce here are some ways you can significantly increase your legal fees. If you prefer to keep the fees down, don’t do the things you see listed here!- Buy a house during your divorce. Although it’s tempting to do so, acquiring major purchases during the pending divorce will create more paperwork and hassle and will increase your legal fees. If you must make a major purchase during the divorce discuss it with your attorney first so that it can be factored into any property division.
- Refuse to answer discovery requests. When you are served with Discovery it is all part of the normal process of your case. Being complete in your answers will help streamline everything. Making the other side work harder to get your answers will cost them and you and will take money out of the marital estate and give it to lawyers and court costs.
- Lie to your lawyer. Your lawyer runs the case and plans strategy based on what you have told her. If she doesn’t have all the facts she will waste precious billable time creating documents and a strategy that may not fit. Then the work may have to be redone when you decide to tell the full story.
- Put things that you shouldn’t on social media. I don’t think I need to give examples here because you can imagine all the different ways that this could create a problem.
- Say bad things about your spouse to or in front of your children. This may earn you a reprimand from the judge, additional court hearings, and a spouse who becomes determined to fight you for every small concession. And worst of all, it can damage your children.
- Be a no-show for court hearings, mediation, or appointments. Rescheduling for a no-show costs time and money and can negatively impact your case.
- Leave old contact information on file so that you miss important notifications. This includes neglecting to check your voicemail, email or US mail.
- Refuse to Accept reality. This includes procrastination in dealing with the divorce, or the opposite- pushing too hard for a final hearing when it’s not yet time. Try to live in the moment even if the moment isn’t very pleasant right now.
- Allow yourself to become overwhelmed. If you can’t find information that’s requested, can’t handle analyzing financial information, or feel that stress is making you ill, ask for help rather than procrastinate. And don’t wait until the last minute or bring a stack of mixed up documents to a legal appointment or a mediation.
- Be rude and spend precious time arguing. Don’t be rude to your attorney or the staff, opposing counsel, the mediator, or (even worse) the judge. Spend your time making progress, so that you can get through the process and begin the stage of healing and renewal.
Kalish Law Office – Divorce and Family Law Since 1984. The Woodlands, Texas.
