A few months back, everything seemed reasonable, and kids whose parents were divorced would rotate between homes without having to worry about their safety and health. Today, things are different, and even parents who experienced an amicable divorce are facing unforeseen challenges that may reverse all the co-parenting gains. The coronavirus pandemic has brought uncertainty. Parents are unsure whether to carry out custody agreements and are also confused about how to rotate their kids between homes. If you are co-parenting and not confident on how you should go about this, you should reach out to a Tacoma Divorce Attorney from the Alliance Law Group for legal guidance.
The quarantine orders have created fear of the negative impact on the mental health of both the co-parents and their kids. The kids are now out of school, and their parents are working from home without childcare.
Here’s how to navigate divorce in this time of Corona
For those planning on getting divorced
Most people are being advised to hold off on their divorce process. For instance, in South Africa, magistrates have halted all proceedings that are deemed not urgent. The Randburg magistrate’s court put up a sign postponing all-new unrepresented divorces to May.
It’s complicated to reach an amicable divorce without a lawyer, so if you are still planning on going through with it, the Tacoma divorce attorneys are still working remotely, guaranteeing their client’s safety of their information through their secure servers.
Those living abroad may communicate with the Tacoma team via zoom, WhatsApp as well as IMessage. The team may also conduct meetings and even depositions via video conferencing.
For those currently going through the divorce process
Note that there may be some delays in the process, but your divorce attorney will work on giving you the best options regarding the impact on your life after divorce, jurisdiction rules, and fees.
Due to court closures, lawyers are applying alternative dispute resolution (ADR) to avoid the backlog of cases once courts re-open. Your divorce attorney will arbitrate any matters that may arise. These include parenting and temporary support issues.
ADR allows you to form breakout rooms to communicate with your counsel privately. You may then finalize the case through mediation or by securing a private judge ruling.
- Assets
This pandemic may make it a daunting task to negotiate your financial settlements creating uncertainty on what you may end up having once the divorce is finalized. It’s best to seek help from people with tax planning expertise. Don’t forget to check your credit report, and if you happen to have some extra money, consider investing it in cushioning you once the crisis is over.
- Kids
Co-parenting involves making decisions about your kids’ future. This could be a nightmare if you did not go through an amicable divorce. If this is the case, it’s best to consult your divorce attorney on how the regulations affect the parenting schedule.
Post-divorce process
Companies everywhere have hinted on possible layoffs, which means that one of the spouses may end up losing their job or experience pay cuts. This jeopardizes their financial security and may affect the amount of child support one can afford to pay. If this sudden change in income occurs, it’s best to consult you, attorney, on whether to file a document in court to modify the payment.
Divorce is a delicate process that requires patience and advice from experts. If you are planning on getting divorced or have started the process, reach out to the Tacoma divorce attorneys for a successful mediation.