Why You May Need Legal Guidance After Divorce

Franklin divorce lawyer explains why it might not be over when the divorce decree is signed

Divorce can be a long and grueling process – emotionally if not logistically – and when it’s over, you just want it to be over. You don’t want to have to revisit that fight, and you don’t want to have to spend long afternoons or hours on the phone with your attorney. Unfortunately, you may have to do just that. Here are some of the many issues that might come up after a divorce that would require the guidance of an experienced divorce attorney:

• Post-judgment modifications, such as forchild supportorchild custody
• Division of retirement accounts
• Appeal from the final judgment after divorce trial
• Enforcement or contempt, such as when one spouse does not follow the court’s order in the divorce

Many clients come to me after having worked with another divorce attorney and being dissatisfied with the resolution of their divorce, either by settlement or after trial. They may feel like crucial details were overlooked or that they were given wrong advice about their rights in the divorce. I explore legal options with them and help them understand if they have grounds for an appeal or amodificationof their paperwork. There are numerous requirements for filing an appeal or trying to modify their paperwork, which I cannot detail here as it would be too long and too complicated. I help my clients understand those requirements as they pertain to their cases, and if they proceed with further legal action, I put together the right paperwork and create the strongest case on appeal or for modification.

Contempt is a common complaint I work with as well. Many people file charges of contempt when their former spouse fails to pay thealimonyor child support ordered, does not follow the stipulations outlined in the custody arrangement, or does something else like fail to properly divide the assets as ordered. Putting together strong evidence is important for these cases, and I help my clients try to get everything needed to go back before the court and present a winning argument. The goal is to enforce compliance of the divorce order, and that may mean the contemptuous party faces penalties such as jail time or fines which the court would decide about.

I also work with clients on modifying their orders, whether it be for child support or child custody or some other issue. It is important to note that child support will not be modified unless there has been a significant variance with respect to the financial issues, and I work with clients to gather the appropriate evidence to prove that. Likewise, a change will not be made to child custody unless there has been a material change of circumstances that is affecting the well-being of the child. I help clients understand how the courts will likely interpret the circumstances, and then we put together the right evidence and testimony to create the strongest case.

I’m Judy A. Oxford, an experiencedFranklin divorce lawyer, and I’ve had to counsel many clients even years after their divorces were final. Whatever reasons for revisiting your divorce resolution, it is important that you have the help of an experienced Franklin divorce attorney when you submit paperwork or go before a judge. If you need to file an appeal, a modification, or pursue some other action after your divorce, call me, Judy A. Oxford attorney at law, at my office at (615) 791-8511 to discuss your options. You can also fill out the secure online form to schedule a free consultation.