Whether you were suspecting that it might come to this, or it is a complete shock to you, being served with divorce papers likely means that your marriage is 100% over. While it may be tempting to tuck the divorce paperwork away in a file to read “later”, it is essential that you take prompt action in order to protect your rights. As uncomfortable as it may be to do so, the very first thing that you should do when you are served with divorce papers is to just read them.
Once you have finished reading through the divorce paperwork, it is time to move right on to the next logical step – retaining a knowledgeable Texas divorce attorney. Time is of the essence in the early days and weeks of a divorce proceeding, and a failure to respond to the divorce paperwork that you have received within twenty days could result in a default being taken against you. Don’t take that risk, take action and speak to a Texas divorce attorney right away.
Your Texas divorce attorney can answer all of the questions that you have right now, advise you of your rights, offer you helpful and practical advice to guide you in your day to day life, and take care of drafting and filing your answer to the complaint for divorce in a timely manner. Your Texas divorce attorney will also handle all communications with your spouse’s attorney (if he or she is represented by one), or, with your spouse if he or she does not have legal counsel, and represent you at all of your hearings.
As soon as divorce proceedings have been started by one party filing divorce paperwork and that paperwork being served upon the other party, there are a few “rules” that apply to both parties. These “rules” affect your everyday life, and your ability to understand and follow them can help you to be successful in resolving your divorce in a manner that is satisfactory to you.
The first basic “rule” to follow after you are served with divorce papers is to say as little as possible to your spouse. Anything you say from this point forwards could possibly be used against you. That said, there are some conversations that cannot and should not be avoided, such as making temporary arrangements for taking care of your children and making sure that the family’s bills get paid on time. Another “rule” to remember is that for the time being, you and your spouse are prohibited from selling or transferring certain marital assets. This is one area that your Texas divorce attorney can help you to better understand, but the basic idea is that it is better to play it safe right now by not selling or giving away anything than to make a misstep and be held accountable for it later on.
These are just some of the ways in which your pending divorce affects your day to day life. If you live in the Longview, Texas area and you have been served with divorce papers, contact The Law Office of Alex Tyra, P.C., for a free consultation at (903) 753-7499. Phone calls are answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.