Divorce
Divorce, one decision at a time
Most people come in with a hundred questions at once. We sort them into the few that have to be answered this month and the ones that can wait.
We start with what you own and what you owe: the house, the vehicles, retirement accounts, a share of the family farm, the credit cards. Then we work out what each of you needs to live on for the year after, and build the agreement from there.
If you and your spouse can talk, mediation is often faster and cheaper. If you can’t, we negotiate for you and prepare the case for a judge.
A one-page list of what to gather before the first meeting
A written budget for the year after the divorce
Mediation first, where it’s safe to try
What it covers
The parts of a divorce we work through with you
The house
Whether one of you keeps it, how a buyout works, or how the sale is split, and who pays the mortgage until then.
Retirement and savings
Pensions, 401(k)s and accounts split with the right orders, so no one pays a tax penalty they didn’t need to.
Debts
Who takes which card, loan and vehicle payment, and how to protect your credit while it’s settled.
Spousal support
Whether it applies, for how long, and what a judge looks at, explained before you agree to anything.
Farm and business shares
Valuing land, equipment or a small business without forcing a sale that would hurt the whole family.
The children
A parenting plan and support worked out alongside everything else, never as an afterthought.
Divorce questions
What people ask before filing
Do we both need lawyers?
We can represent only one of you. Your spouse can hire their own lawyer, represent themselves, or work with a mediator alongside us.
How long does a divorce take?
An agreed divorce can finish within a few months of filing. One with a disputed house, business or custody question takes longer; we give you a realistic range at the first meeting.
Should I move out of the house?
Talk to us before you do. Moving out can affect the parenting schedule and who stays in the house while the case is open.
Bring your questions to a first meeting
An hour with a lawyer, at either office or by video, and a written list of next steps when you leave.