Every divorce is different, but one thing they all have in common is that individuals involved in a divorce want to keep their family’s matters private. While that is certainly an understandable emotion, the fact of the matter is that there are certain things your Ocean County divorce attorney absolutely needs to know, no matter how private those details are, or embarrassing it may be to share them with another person.
Things like affairs and abuse are extremely difficult to talk about, but it is important to remember that anything you tell your Toms River divorce attorney is protected under attorney-client privilege, and that these critical matters can have a huge affect on the outcome of your divorce settlement, including things like child custody, child support, alimony, and marital asset division. Here are some things that may be difficult to discuss, but that your divorce attorney absolutely needs to know!
Affairs and your Ocean County Divorce
If you are having an affair, or have had an affair in the past, as difficult as it may be to discuss this with your Point Pleasant divorce attorney, they need to know. If your spouse at all suspects you of having had an affair, they will hire a private investigator, and they will always find evidence to prove your affair. If this information comes as a surprise to your divorce attorney, it puts your divorce and the resulting divorce settlement at extreme risk. If however, your divorce attorney is aware of the situation, they can take steps to protect your settlement from such damaging information.
On the other hand, if you suspect or have knowledge of your spouse having an affair, it is important that you make your divorce attorney aware of the situation. It is quite possible that your spouse spent marital assets on the affair, assets which by rights should have been divided with you equitably in your asset division agreement. Your divorce attorney can help find evidence of how much money was spent, and make sure that you are reimbursed for these expenses.
Tell your Brick Divorce Attorney about Domestic Abuse
Living in any abusive relationship can be terrifying, and often extremely difficult to discuss with others, even close friends and family members. No matter how difficult it may be to discuss your abusive relationship, your Brick divorce attorney needs to be made aware of the situation. Your attorney can help you take necessary steps to ensuring your safety during and after your divorce. They can ensure that contact between you are your spouse during the divorce process is monitored and safe, recommend important resources such as counselors, shelters, and supportive organizations, and help you to file and obtain a restraining order should the situation call for it.
There is also the possibility of seeking compensation for your pain and suffering and medical expenses as part of your divorce settlement, and your Ocean County attorney can advise you on how to best proceed in such a situation.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases in Toms River Divorce
As difficult as it may be to discuss with your Toms River divorce attorney the fact that you have either contracted or possibly passed a sexually transmitted disease to your spouse, it is critical that they are aware of the situation. Similar to domestic abuse, economic compensation for medical expenses and suffering can be sought as part of your divorce settlement. If you believe you may have passed as STD to your spouse, your divorce attorney needs to be aware of the possibility, both to protect your divorce case, and to protect the health of your spouse.
DYFS and DCP&P Involvement Can Affect Your Ocean County Divorce
If at any time, DCP&P (formerly DYFS) was called in to assist your family and an issue regarding abuse or neglect of a child, your Ocean County divorce attorney needs to know. Even if DCP&P provided your family with services for a short time, or their investigation found no evidence of abuse or neglect, the fact that they were involved with your family at all can impact your divorce settlement, specifically child custody and visitation rights. If your divorce attorney is aware of the situation from the get-go, they can take the necessary steps to protecting your parental rights, but if this information comes as a surprise, it can seriously damage your child custody settlement as a result.
Hidden Assets in a Spring Lake Divorce
Your Spring Lake divorce attorney also needs to be aware of the potential of hidden marital assets or debts. Rest assured that if an individual is hiding assets, the court and the opposing attorney will find them, whether through depositions, investigative experts, or subpoenas. If it is discovered that you have hidden assets from your divorce’s asset division agreement, the cost of having hidden assets will always outweigh whatever you might have saved by hiding those assets in the first place, no matter how valuable they are. Beyond the monetary cost of hiding assets, there are also the legal consequences to consider. If it is discovered that you lied about marital assets, you can be charged with perjury, a federal crime.
Similarly, if you believe that your spouse is hiding assets from your divorce settlement agreement, inform your Spring Lake divorce attorney of this possibility so that they can take the necessary steps towards uncovering these assets, and ensuring you receive what is rightfully yours in your marital property distribution agreement.
Contact an Ocean County Divorce Attorney Today
At Bronzino Law Firm, we have extensive experience resolving divorces across Toms River, Point Pleasant, Spring Lake, and the greater Ocean County area for clients and families of all kinds. When it comes to private, family issues, we have seen it all, and we make no judgments no matter the situation. Our goal is simply to ensure our clients receive the best possible divorce settlement which protects their financial and parental rights, period.
Our smaller size allows us to develop personal and attentive relationships with our clients, while charging fair and reasonable rates for our services. Attorney Peter J. Bronzino believes that by keeping his clients as informed and involved as possible with their legal issue, he can best secure the outcome which his clients need and deserve.
To schedule a free and confidential consultation with Peter and our law firm today, please contact us online, or through our Brick, NJ office at (732) 812-3102.