Naturally, the first thing that you need to know before getting a divorce is that finding the best Nassau County contested divorce lawyer will be your saving grace.

But what else do you need to know?

The following is a list of the top 5 things that most now-divorced individuals wish they would have known before getting started with their divorce proceedings:

1. Know your ultimate outcome from the get-go.

From the start, you should know exactly what you want to get out of your divorce. You should know how much money you deserve, what property you deserve, and how much time you want to be able to have with your kids if you have them.

2. Be willing to work mediation. It’s better than taking an adversarial stance right away.

Getting a divorce is usually a sticky situation. There are a lot of bad feelings floating around. But being unwilling to go into mediation will only make matters worse for you. Instead of taking an angry, adversarial stance, try to make the most of mediation. It will pay off in the end.

3. Will it matter in 5 years? No? Forget about it.

If you’re arguing over money or specific items of property, consider whether it’s going to matter in five years. If it won’t matter, forget about it and move on.

4. Being organized is a great goal to have.

Having your papers in order and meeting deadlines for your divorce proceedings will go a long way. Don’t miss this step.

5. Don’t seek “justice.” Just get through your divorce in one piece.

Many people get divorces and hope to seek justice for being wrongly treated in their marriage. They want to tell the judge their story. While you may be justified in having these desires, keep in mind that courts will probably not give you even 10 minutes to grandstand about how terrible your spouse was. You may not even get an opportunity to testify against her spouse.

Furthermore, it’s possible that once you testify and your spouse testifies, the judge may not judging your favor. After all they are only hearing a few minutes of your whole life story. Ultimately, this can affect the rest of your life in a terrible way. Instead of hoping to achieve justice, just try to get through your divorce with exactly what you want — and in one piece.

Finding the Best Nassau County Contested Divorce Lawyer

Of course, as stated at the beginning of this article, one of the best things to know before filing for divorce is that having a great lawyer on your side is absolutely essential. If your divorce is going to be a sticky one and you anticipate lots of arguing and settling back and forth, this is especially true for you.

Where looking for a divorce lawyer is concerned, make sure to do your homework. Research lawyers in your area, and have meetings with each one to determine whether they’ll work for you. Doing this will ensure that you have a positive experience with your divorce and get exactly what you’re looking for.