A Divorce Diary Can Be An Invaluable Tool For Managing Your Separation

Posted on: 10 April 2017

When you get a divorce, there are often a lot of things that must be sorted through and dealt with. Even after your divorce is finalized, there may still be issues that need to be handled and new ones will often pop up. One thing that can help you get a handle on the chaos is to keep a divorce diary. Here's more information about this useful tool.

How a Divorce Diary Can Help

A divorce diary is essentially a log book of relevant things that happen before, during, and after your separation. When you're in the midst of the situation, it's easy to forget or overlook important things, such as court dates and verbal agreements you made with your spouse. A divorce diary can help you stay organized as well as provide an easy-to-reference log of things that may help you prove important aspects of your case.

For example, keeping a record of the times when your spouse physically assaulted you can make it easier for the judge to see the pattern and/or help your attorney obtain important police and medical records to back up your claims. This, in turn, may result in you being awarded a larger portion of the marital property or stop your soon-to-be ex from obtaining custody of the kids.

Things You Should Log

There are a number of things that should go into your divorce diary. The first thing you should write down is a list of assets you and your spouse own jointly or separately. Property division is typically the most contentious part of separating, and it helps to know what you have, how it was obtained, and who's laying claim to it. If you suspect your spouse is hiding assets, write down your suspicions and why. This can provide your attorney with valuable clues on where to start looking for the items.

You should also detail any relevant incidents that occurred during the marriage that can affect the outcome (e.g. abuse, criminal activity) as well as any agreements you make with your spouse (e.g. who gets the flat-screen television).

After proceedings have been initiated, start logging court dates and what happened during the proceedings, paperwork you receive from attorneys, and information people tell you that may be relevant to your case. Additionally, you should note the content of any phone calls or correspondence you receive from your ex, especially if it can impact your divorce (e.g. threatening calls or promises made).

Once the proceedings are over, begin logging payments you receive from your spouse (e.g. alimony, child support) as well as the content of interactions you (and your children if you have any) have with your spouse. This information can be useful if you need to get adjustments to the support orders or divorce decree.

For more information about maintaining a divorce diary or help litigating a separation from your spouse, contact an attorney, like one from Larson, Latham, Huettl Attorneys.

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