Shelton Family Law Blog

You and your significant other both lived in Connecticut when you got married. You had two children together and started to raise a family.

As your marriage fizzled out, though, your spouse began traveling a lot more. Eventually, he or she lived out of state most of the time, just coming back to visit. By the time you officially filed for divorce, you and your spouse lived in different states full time. You stayed in Connecticut with the kids, while your spouse lived elsewhere.

So you just went through a six-month-long child custody battle. Just when you thought you'd never get to see your child again, the judge awarded you two weekends a month to spend with your toddler. You're thrilled, but you're also terrified. What will you do with each other? How will you spend your time together? Will your little boy or girl have fun with you, or will she be bored to tears?

The first thing you need to keep in mind is that your young child will love whatever you do together, as long as it's with you. Children adore their parents and they also help their parents know what kinds of things they enjoy.

You don't want to drag your spouse and your children through a court case. Your spouse agrees. Both of you want to get divorced, ending your 10-year marriage, but you want it to be simple and easy for all involved.

One option may be Alternative Dispute Resolution, or ADR. It can largely keep the case out of the courts, allowing you to reach an agreement on your own.

Just because a marriage ends doesn't mean that the couple has to let it get ugly. Many couples realize at some point that they simply don't want to continue the relationship. If one or both spouses realize that a divorce can remain as calm and restful as they let it, it is entirely possible to achieve divorce without creating crisis.

A focus on civility and respect

Even in the face of great conflict, couples can choose to approach their divorce intentionally, to help each other move on and avoid the temptations to punish each other in the process. However, it is difficult for couples to navigate divorce together amicably without proper legal counsel. Even in instances where couples want to keep things civil, the difficulty of reaching fair divorce agreements that address every area that a complete divorce requires is considerable.