How Can I Speed Up My Divorce on Long Island?

If your Long Island divorce is dragging out longer than you expected, this can have several negative consequences. The longer it takes to fully dissolve your marriage, the more expensive your divorce will likely be. It’s smart to manage your overall costs of divorce by minding how much time various aspects of your divorce take for you and your attorney.

Here are some common things that can inflate the time spent on your divorce and what you can do to try to avoid this.

Your Divorce Is Contested

Sadly, no divorce is as fast as a marriage, even if you both agree to all the terms. However, the process definitely takes longer if you and your spouse can’t agree on the most basic of terms. If your divorce is contested this means that either you, your spouse, or both disagree with each other about a significant matter relating to the dissolution of your marriage. This disagreement may have to be decided for you by a judge if you and your ex cannot reach any kind of compromise. Contested divorces take significantly more time than uncontested divorces, and the more issues you disagree on, the longer it will likely take.

You Share Children with Your Ex-Spouse

Child custody and visitation issues are almost always complex and take more time to sort out than a divorce without children. Even if you and your ex-spouse agree on most, if not everything, simply having to go through these steps can significantly lengthen the overall time it takes to finalize your divorce. If you disagree on multiple issues relating to your children, such as who they will stay with and when, their education, medical care, and other important matters, the longer it will take to resolve just the child custody portion of your divorce.

Your Ex Is Making False Accusations Against You

If your ex-spouse has falsely accused you of domestic violence or child abuse, a separate investigation must be done to address these allegations. Even if your ex later recants, typically the state of New York will still continue to prosecute the defendant using whatever evidence may be available. It will take time and additional expenses to defend yourself against these allegations, causing your divorce to also drag out until the matter is resolved.

If you are unsuccessful at proving your innocence, you could be fined, incarcerated, and barred from visitation with your children if you have them. If you continue to fight against this decision, you could be involved in family court cases for years to come.

Your Ex Is Hiding Assets From You

The financial aspects of a divorce are often some of the most important, particularly in high-net-worth cases. If you and your ex don’t agree on how to divide assets equitably between each other, you may need to present these issues to a judge who will make decisions on property division, sharing of liquid assets, and other financial matters.

Both spouses are required to submit a complete report of their separate and marital assets, and in some cases, one spouse may attempt to hide or conceal assets from the other, so they are not included in the property division process. This is illegal, and not only does it have the potential to extend the time it takes to resolve your divorce substantially, it also results in stiff penalties and possibly being held in contempt of court.

For the Most Efficient Divorce Contact the Experienced Long Island Divorce Lawyers at Hornberger Verbitsky, P.C. Today

Whether your divorce takes less or more time than you expect, it’s a stressful process that requires the support of an experienced Long Island family lawyer. It’s generally in your best interests to speak with legal counsel before even making a final decision whether to get a divorce or not, so you can be aware of all legal options available to you from the start.

At Hornberger Verbitsky, P.C., we have the expertise to provide you with comprehensive legal representation during your Long Island divorce case. Contact us today for a consultation to discuss the goals you have for your divorce and what you want your future to look like after you close this chapter of your life and open the next. We can help you devise a legal strategy designed to help you meet or exceed these goals. Call now at 631-923-1910 or fill out the short form below.