The Complete Guide to Divorce Law - Softcover

Choudhri, Nihara K.

9780806525280: The Complete Guide to Divorce Law

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0806525282 ISBN 13: 9780806525280

Publisher: Citadel Pr, 2004

If you are facing divorce, THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO DIVORCE LAW can save you thousands of dollars in divorce-related legal fees, and can help to make your divorce process less emotionally traumatic for all involved.

For a fraction of the cost of an hour with your divorce lawyer, THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO DIVORCE LAW will provide you with an easy-to-understand explanation of the divorce laws. THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO DIVORCE LAW will teach you the requirements for filing for divorce, how divorce courts divide property, whether you or your soon-to-be ex-spouse may qualify for alimony, what factors courts take into account when making custody determinations, and how much child support will likely be required in your case. The book will then take you step-by-step through the process of negotiating an out-of-court divorce settlement with your spouse — by far the most efficient and cost-effective way to end your marriage.

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About the Author:

Nihara K. Choudhri is a Manhattan based divorce lawyer who practices with the firm of Kraus & Choudhri LLP. A portion of the author’s profits from the book will be donated to The Center for Battered Women’s Legal Services at Sanctuary for Families. The author can be reached at completeguidetodivorcelaw@yahoo.com. Her second book, WHAT TO DO BEFORE "I DO": THE MODERN COUPLE’S GUIDE TO MARRIAGE, MONEY & PRENUPS (Sourcebooks) will be released in the fall of 2004.

INTRODUCTION
WHY YOU NEED THIS BOOK

For a fraction of the cost of an hour with your divorce lawyer, this book will provide you with an easy-to-understand explanation of the divorce laws. This book will teach you the requirements for filing for divorce, how divorce courts divide property, whether you or your soon-to-be ex-spouse may qualify for alimony, what factors courts take into account when making custody determinations, and how much child support will likely be required in your case. While this book cannot take the place of a legal professional, it can help you understand the rules of the game and better prepare you for what lies ahead. Perhaps more importantly, this book can save you thousands of dollars — if not more — in divorce-related legal fees.

There are several reasons why it is to your tremendous advantage to learn the divorce laws. First, because divorce lawyers generally bill by the hour, having your lawyer spend hours on end answering your basic divorce-related legal questions can become extraordinarily expensive. It is far more cost-efficient for you to learn the basics of divorce law on your own, and then to rely on your lawyer to explain the details of your state’s divorce laws and how the law is likely to be applied to your case.

Second, learning the divorce laws will help you to take an active and productive role in your divorce. A working knowledge of divorce law will help you to focus your time — and consequently, your lawyer’s valuable and expensive time — on the facts and issues that matter the most.

Third, understanding the divorce laws can help you to reach a fair and comprehensive out-of-court divorce agreement with your spouse. Settling out of court is by far the least expensive, most efficient, and least traumatic way to divorce your spouse. Unlike litigated divorce disputes, which can take anywhere from months to years to resolve, out-of-court divorce settlements can often be reached within a matter of weeks. Because time is money where lawyers are involved, divorce disputes that are quickly resolved through out-of-court settlements usually cost tens of thousands of dollars less in legal fees than litigated cases.

The better informed you are about the divorce laws, the more likely it is that you and your spouse will be able to reach a reasonable out-of-court settlement. A good understanding of the divorce laws will help you both to appreciate what you stand to gain and lose by litigating your divorce dispute, and to recognize when and on what terms you should settle out of court.

Part One of this book takes you step-by-step through the divorce laws, addressing everything from the basics — like the grounds for divorce — to complex topics like pensions, stock options, and professional licenses and degrees. Part Two discusses out-of-court agreements in detail, and provides valuable guidance on how to go about negotiating an out-of-court agreement with your spouse.

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