Divorce Inquiries Soar with The Coronavirus—Here’s What You Can Do Now to Protect Yourself
There is no question that the coronavirus has brought a number of challenges into everyone’s lives, especially when it comes to family law issues. People have already experienced a significant amount of stress related to how the virus affects parenting plans and time sharing arrangements, especially if one parent has taken drastic measures, such as violating court orders, or does not believe that the coronavirus is a serious issue. Indeed, domestic violence issues have also become more complicated and are on the rise, with many more victims finding that they are trapped at home and having difficulty obtaining assistance.
Another effect of the virus is that it has led to a surge in the number of individuals seeking divorces: Our attorneys and many others around the country have heard from a number of new clients with divorce inquiries, possibly due to people being cooped up with their partner because of the quarantine. Financial stress due to a number of people losing their jobs or their net worth will also sometimes lead to stress between couples and an increased interest in divorce. And for those who were already separated or had initiated the divorce process, but not completed it before the quarantine went into effect, being stuck together in the same home may be nothing short of a nightmare.
The Importance Of Starting To Plan Now
The courts are closed at this time except for certain emergencies, whereby some judges are only making themselves available for protection orders in domestic violence cases, for example. Yet, it is still important to start planning and working with your divorce attorney now so that you are prepared when the courts do re open and are faced with a backlog.
This is especially important for some, depending upon their circumstances. For example, those who have valuable assets in stock portfolios will likely want to file as soon as possible because the value of those assets is usually set in stone on the day that you file for divorce and, as a result, you would fare better financially to file before those stocks start to rebound in the market. Or perhaps parents who are seeking a divorce who have lost their jobs may need to spend extra time discussing with their attorney how to approach the court about child support payments, or even discussing what to do with or how to handle the family home, give the effect the virus has had on the market.
Steps You Can Take To Protect Yourself
It is the job of your attorney to help create effective solutions with you during this time regarding how to move things forward more productively when the courts reopen. Here are some actions you can take now with them in order to prepare:
- Discuss the extent your timeline has changed due to the virus
- Discuss how things may have changed with respect to your decision surrounding the house and whether you may need to refinance at a lower rate, obtain a new home appraisal, etc.
- If you share children with your ex, discuss any changes that may need to be made to the co-parenting plan in order to ensure their safety and best interest
- Discuss whether any recent settlement proposals need to be renegotiated
- Discuss how you plan to pay for your living expenses during and after the divorce, and update your financial documents
Contact Our Florida Divorce Attorneys—We Are Available During This Time to Help
We at Greater Orlando Family Law remain available every day and are dedicated to serving new clients here in Central Florida. Contact our Orlando family lawyers today to schedule a safe consultation and find out how we can help.
Resources:
forbes.com/sites/heatherlocus/2020/04/01/6-ways-the-coronavirus-can-infect-your-divorce–and-simple-steps-to-protect-yourself/#3b09294a2b65
nypost.com/2020/04/03/sick-of-you-lawyers-see-coronavirus-divorce-uptick/
fastcompany.com/90484695/i-could-knife-him-in-the-back-what-its-like-seeking-a-divorce-during-coronavirus
