Ellicott City, MD Divorce Attorney

Lawyer Guiding Families Through Divorce in Ellicott City, MD

No one expects their marriage to end in divorce, but a very large percentage of marriages do. If you are ready to end your marriage and start a new, better life, you are not alone. Getting divorced is very normal and is often what is best for everyone involved. However, the process can be challenging on many levels. Ending a marriage is always an emotional process. You may be very angry at your spouse, regretful about getting married to him or her in the first place, or sad about the end of an era in your life. These feelings are all very normal during the divorce process. You will likely find that when all is said and done, you are glad that you got divorced when you did instead of carrying on in an unhappy marriage.

Diamant Gerstein, LLC is here to guide you through every part of the divorce process. Our experienced and knowledgeable divorce lawyers can help you decide how to approach your divorce and advocate for you in or out of court. We always answer client calls personally, so you will never need to go through a receptionist to talk to your attorney when you have a question for us or a new concern arises.

Should I Choose a Contested or Uncontested Divorce?

You have choices when it comes to how to go about getting divorced. Most people in modern times are able to settle their divorces without a trial, usually through mediation or attorney-facilitated negotiation. Others, however, do need to go to trial in order to get a favorable and fair outcome.

Uncontested divorce offers numerous advantages. It is usually faster than going to court and will cost less. If you have children together, they may benefit from seeing their parents collaborate. This can show your children that you are willing to put your differences aside when it comes to taking care of them, while also protecting them from the stress of having to testify in court or be interviewed by a guardian ad litem. While uncontested divorce is usually easier when you are amicable with your spouse is entirely possible even if there is a lot of conflict between you.

Contested divorce is sometimes necessary or preferable. If your spouse is a narcissist, is hiding assets, or will not be fair to you during settlement talks, it might be better to go to court. High-asset divorces are more likely to be contested because there is more at stake. You may also want to consider going to court if you need alimony and your spouse is not likely to agree to pay it, or if your spouse is unreasonably demanding alimony he or she does not need.

You may also need to consider contesting your divorce if there are complex issues you may not be able to resolve yourselves. For example, if you own a business together and have drastically different ideas about what to do with it when you part ways, you might need a judge's help to settle your differences. Or, if one of you wants to relocate with the children and the other will not willingly allow that to happen, it might be wise to ask an impartial judge to help decide what is best for your children in this instance.

It is ultimately your and your spouse's decision whether to pursue a contested or uncontested divorce. Some spouses start out attempting to reach an out-of-court agreement and find that they cannot do so, so they proceed to litigation. Our experienced attorneys can assess your individual situation and help you come to the best decision for you and your children. We can advocate aggressively for you in or out of court.

Contact an Ellicott City, MD Divorce Lawyer

Diamant Gerstein, LLC is dedicated to helping clients choose the best approach to divorce based on each person's individual needs and preferences. Our experienced Ellicott City, MD divorce attorneys will fight for the best possible outcome in your case. Contact us at 301-560-2685 for a confidential consultation.