Frequently Asked Questions

Absolutely. Going through a divorce is a very stressful process. Hiring a divorce lawyer will help make sure that your rights are protected and ensures that the divorce process is as smooth as possible. You might think you would save money by taking a DIY approach, but unfortunately divorce is complicated. What we see all too often is people try to file on their own and if one form is missing or incomplete, your divorce will stay in limbo and cannot be granted by the Court. A divorce lawyer will know all the steps that must be taken to ensure that the divorce process proceeds smoothly. If you start off with a divorce lawyer from the beginning, you will likely end up saving time and money in the long run. Interested in having a cost-effective divorce? Schedule a consultation with us and we can talk about our different divorce packages and payment plans.

As long as they are licensed to practice law in your state, they are the same. Want to verify that your lawyer/attorney is licensed in Kentucky? Check here: https://www.kybar.org/search/

Mediation and divorce are two different things. Divorce is the legal process of dissolving your marriage. Mediation is a way to resolve disputes outside of going to Court. Mediations can be essential to having a cost-effective and amicable divorce.

It depends. In most cases, each party pays their own attorneys fees, but it is typically paid with marital money or on a marital credit card. The Court can also award attorneys fees to be paid by one of the parties depending on your income levels and resources.

The five stages of divorce refers to the emotional stages of divorce: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Divorce can take a huge emotional toll, and sometimes it can hit you when you least expect it. We highly recommend finding a qualified mental health professional as soon as possible to help you process these emotions and provide support during this big life change. We also highly recommend that you and your spouse come to agreements on finding a qualified mental health professional for your children as soon as possible in the divorce process. Having a strong emotional support system early on will be invaluable. Check with your health insurance provider to find a qualified mental health professional that is in-network for you and your children to help save on costs.

Some divorce don'ts are: don't hide any money; don't rack up a bunch of debt to spite your spouse; don't text, email, or post anything you wouldn't want a Judge to read outloud in a public courtroom; don't try to get your spouse back by getting them fired; don't remove your spouse from health insurance, car insurance, or delete them from your phone plan; don't make any alienating comments about your spouse to your children. When in doubt, check with your attorney first, and remember that cooler heads prevail.

It depends. In most cases, each party pays their own attorneys fees and their half of any other divorce costs such as mediation. However, these are also  typically paid with marital money or on a marital credit card. The Court can also award attorneys fees to be paid by one of the parties depending on your income levels and resources.

No. Kentucky is an equitable division state, and equitable just means fair. In most cases, this means a 50/50 division, but sometimes there is a larger split if the Court finds this to be an equitable or fair division.

Sometimes it can be empowering to file for divorce first, but there is no legal advantage to filing for divorce first. The person who files first, the "Petitioner", is responsible for paying the filing fee with the Court and is also responsible for having the other party served.

In Kentucky there is a presumption that joint custody is in the best interest of the child, so this is the most common custody arrangement.

As long as both parents are healthy and emotionally stable, both parents will most likely share joint custody in Kentucky.

Some custody battle don'ts are: don't text, email, or post anything you wouldn't want a Judge to read out loud in a public courtroom; don't make any alienating comments about the other parent to your children; don't quiz your children on what they did with the other parent; don't ignore current custody and timesharing orders. When in doubt, check with your attorney first, and remember that cooler heads prevail.