If you think that your attorney has not been working diligently on your case, you can always request your case file from your attorney. You can either go to the attorney's office and read the file there or request that the attorney make copies of everything and send them to you.
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May 18, 2011 · One thing you can do is hire a new attorney to handle your divorce. The new attorney might have an easier time getting the file from your old attorney, though they might not. The other option you have is to contact the Lawyers Professional Responsibility Board, if your attorney has not had contact with you for several months. …
Aug 04, 2016 · Specifically, you can deny your spouse’s request to cancel a deposition for the third time and file a formal motion, asking a judge to issue sanctions (fines or other punishments) against your spouse. You may also be able to recoup …
The goal of collaborative divorce is to resolve your marital issues without court intervention and then incorporate the terms of your agreements into a divorce settlement agreement (sometimes called a property or marital settlement agreement). Once completed, either spouse can file a divorce petition (complaint) with the court, so as to actually obtain a final divorce judgment.
If you are seeking a divorce, or if you need post-divorce legal help, it is always advisable to talk with an experienced divorce lawyer beforehand. Contact the Law Offices of James C. DeZao today at 973-808-8900 for your free consultation. Our experienced family law attorneys are here to help you through this difficult time in your life.
However, if you received a truly unfair or unjust divorce settlement, you may be able to ask a court to reopen your case and take a second look at how the deal was made and whether or not it's unjust. You should know that you will have a very heavy burden in terms of getting a divorce settlement turned over.
In general, yes you can sue. Whether you will be successful or the judge will toss your case out of court is a different question altogether. You may also be required to pay for your ex's lawyer for filing a frivolous lawsuit. So, you need to be careful before you run to the courthouse with a suit in mind.
The court will consider reopening a divorce settlement only in exceptional cases either where a spouse has failed to provide full and frank disclosure about their wealth and income in divorce proceedings or there has been a material change in a spouse's circumstances since the agreement was reached.
As a general rule, the money you earned during marriage is marital, and what you earned afterwards is separate. But your ex-wife can still get her hands on it in some cases.
Emotional Abuse Can Give You the Right to Sue If your spouse has intentionally caused you to suffer emotional distress, you may have the right to file a civil lawsuit for damages. Filing a lawsuit can hold your spouse accountable for their actions and allow you to recover comepnsation.Feb 12, 2019
While the Court dismissed the father's complaint for intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress, the Court did announce that one spouse can sue the other spouse for emotional distress. However, the underlying conduct must be consistent with the definition of the alleged tort.Feb 15, 2019
*) hence You can attempt to have the case reopened through filing a motion to reopen. However, the decision to reopen is up to the judge, and one major thing the judge will consider is the length of time the case has been dismissed.
If you feel you should have got more from your divorce, it may be possible to appeal your case. A successful appeal may well lead to a higher award or to increased maintenance.To appeal against a financial order, you will need to show that the judge was wrong in the way the final decision was reached.
A court cannot change the division of assets in a settlement agreement through an application by one of the parties regardless of whether there are sufficient reasons show unless there is evidence of fraud. A settlement agreement is a final agreement and a court cannot interfere with it.Oct 11, 2021
WHAT IS A RULE 43 INTERIM MAINTENANCE APPLICATION? Rule 43 of the Uniform Court Rules as well as Rule 58 of the Magistrate Court Rules provides litigants in divorce proceedings with the opportunity to approach the court for an order granting interim relief pending the finalisation of a divorce.Mar 17, 2022
In short: no. The most important thing to stress is that if you've already divorced without reaching a financial settlement, it's not too late. While it's usually advised you reach a financial settlement and get a financial order from court at the time of divorce, you can still do this after you're divorced.Mar 8, 2022
Even once a divorce has been granted it is rare that anyone is obligated to sell and there are no set rules that all assets will be split straight down the middle. No single party in a divorce is entitled to 50% of all assets, including the family home.
Your spouse’s failure to respond will be treated as an agreement to your terms. You’ll have to prove to the court that you provided your spouse with proper notice of the divorce.
For example, in many states there’s a mandatory waiting period in a contested divorce. That period can force a couple to wait anywhere from 30 to 90 days from the time they submit their divorce paperwork to when the judge will sign off and grant the divorce.
However, in most cases one spouse files and serves a divorce complaint and the other spouse has 20 or so days to file a response.
For some couples, divorce is often a long and painful process. But it doesn’t have to be. Your divorce can move forward amicably and at a reasonable pace. Even spouses who drag their feet in a divorce don’t necessarily control the process. You and your attorney can discuss ways to get your divorce going ...
Collaborative law is similar to mediation, in that the goal is to amicably resolve your divorce-related issues through negotiation, rather than court hearings or a divorce trial. But unlike mediation, there is no impartial third party (the mediator) guiding the process.
Once completed, either spouse can file a divorce petition (complaint) with the court, so as to actually obtain a final divorce judgment. Filing a divorce petition may seem contradictory to the whole purpose of going the collaborative law route, but under these circumstances it isn't, because only a judge can actually grant you a divorce.
Using collaborative law as a way of ending a marriage is becoming increasingly popular. This process is part of the Alternative Dispute Resolution (AD R) concept of resolving issues —using compromise , not war. But sometimes, even though you may have entered into this process with the best intentions, collaborative law efforts fail. When that occurs, going to court may be the only option left.
If you feel your ex has been violating your divorce agreement, you should take notes and keep detailed records of all alleged breaches. This evidence may include bank statements, schedules, invoices, or anything else relevant to your agreement terms.
The first thing you should do if your ex-spouse is not complying with your divorce agreement is making sure you have “clean hands”. What this means is that you need to sit down and carefully read the agreement yourself to ensure that you are in full compliance. The legal doctrine of “clean hands” essentially states that the law will not come to the assistance of a party that does not have clean hands themselves. So, it’s essential that the first thing you do is make sure you are fully compliant with all aspects of your divorce agreement.
Divorce is never enjoyable – especially if you believe your ex may be violating the terms of your agreement once the divorce is finalized. If you are seeking a divorce, or if you need post-divorce legal help, it is always advisable to talk with an experienced divorce lawyer beforehand. Contact the Law Offices of James C. DeZao today at 973-808-8900 for your free consultation. Our experienced family law attorneys are here to help you through this difficult time in your life and will fight to ensure you get what you are legally entitled to.
Once you have established that you follow the divorce agreement, you should check to ensure you are also meeting any and all conditions spelled out in the agreement. If, for example, the divorce agreement stipulates that a written notice of any breach of an agreement must be provided, or that mediation should be sought before the agreement is enforced, you should make sure you follow the agreement fully before taking any formal enforcement actions.
"Default" is the legal term to describe the failure to respond to a lawsuit, including a divorce petition or complaint. In the divorce context, if you serve your spouse with a divorce complaint, and it goes unanswered, you can ask a judge to grant your divorce by default.
Depending on your state's laws, you'll probably have to let your spouse know about the default hearing. In New Jersey, for example, you have to legally notify your spouse of the hearing date and provide the details of your requests for spousal support (alimony), child support, child custody, and marital property.
So you've had your default hearing, you proved your case to the judge's satisfaction, and you joyously walked out of court with the written divorce judgment clutched close to your heart. But a few weeks later, you get a letter stating that your spouse wants to reopen the case (vacate or set aside the default).
Just as with child support or spousal support, if your ex is refusing or interfering with visitation with your children you will need to hire a divorce attorney and file a petition for contempt of the divorce settlement agreement.
If your ex isn’t complying with court-ordered child support or spousal support you will need to hire a divorce attorney to file a petition for contempt. Once this is done a judge can “compel” your ex to pay by garnishing their wages or sending them to jail until they agree to make regular payments.
Cathy is a Master Certified Relationship Coach and Certified Marriage Educator. She is also the Founding and Managing Editor of DivorcedMoms.com – the leading resource and community for divorced moms to connect, communicate, express their passion and thoughts, share experiences, and find expert information and advice.
Mediation involves a neutral attorney who helps couples reach an agreement in a divorce. The mediator doesn’t represent either spouse and can’t give legal advice. Instead, mediators help couples identify the issues that need to be resolved and create an agreement that comports with the law.
But, the spouse who hires or “retains” the lawyer is the lawyer’s client. If you are the unrepresented spouse, be aware that the lawyer preparing the divorce agreement doesn’t represent you and cannot give you legal advice. One attorney may be enough for couples with simple divorces, but make sure you understand your legal rights if you’re ...
Most lawyers charge a retainer of $3,500 to $10,000 per spouse, and this is only the first fee you will have to pay. Most people don’t have that kind of money to spare.
Alimony or spousal support. Property and debt allocation. This route allows both parties to actively control their spousal rights and obligations without having to go to court. Your separation agreement must pass legal muster, so you will need a bit of help from a divorce lawyer.
Having a limited scope reduces your divorces’s legal fees, and is completely manageable if you do not go to court. Your lawyer can help you with some of the following: There are two types of separation: simple separation and legal separation. For a simple separation, there is no legal intervention.
There are two types of separation: simple separation and legal separation. For a simple separation, there is no legal intervention. If you have no other variables like children, debt, or property, simple separation is the easiest and most affordable route.
In a separation, you can walk away from the marriage as swiftly and painlessly as possible, but you’re still legally married. If there are still legal obligations, you’ll need to fulfill them. For example, if your ex was in an accident, you’d have to make all the medical decisions for them if they could not.
You will have to file a motion or petition (legal paperwork) with the court. An application to reopen your divorce case has to allege one of the following: 1 deceit or fraud (for example, your spouse concealed information or gave you false information about an essential fact, such as the existence or true value of an asset) 2 duress or undue influence (where one spouse used threats or coercion to force the other to accept and sign a settlement agreement) 3 mistaken negotiations (you were mistaken about a material fact that influenced the negotiation or agreement), or 4 a fundamental inequity or unfairness in the divorce agreement itself.
Reopening a divorce case can be very challenging and legally complex. It's wise to consult with an experienced family law attorney in your area to determine whether you have a good case and how to get started.
Under these circumstances, it is possible to argue that consent was not valid because it was not free and voluntary and to have the divorce case reopened.
If your attorney is not cooperating, you can go to the courthouse to see copies of all documents that have been filed relating to your case. Lastly, you may have to sue your former attorney in order to get your case file back.
One of the best things that you can do if you feel that your attorney is not doing a good job is to get another law firm to look at your situation. These second opinions do not have to cost very much as it will probably only last an hour or two.
Consider Mediation . One common method that many people are turning to instead of legal malpractice claims is mediation. Mediation is something both you and your lawyer may benefit from, and could even lead to a better attorney-client relationship.
It can be discouraging and frustrating when you feel that your attorney is not doing their best job on your case . This article lays out some of the most common problems that clients have with legal professionals and suggests some ways of handling legal malpractice claims.
If everything has failed and you still cannot get your attorney to respond to you in a timely fashion, you may have to fire your lawyer and find a new one.
However, you may not want to go to the state bar to complain about your attorney just yet.
The rules of legal ethics in most states require attorneys to be honest and to be able to do their job at a certain level of competence. If you feel that your legal representative has lied or misled you, or is performing their duties at a level below that of a competent attorney, you may want to file a lawsuit.