Going through a divorce is a tumultuous time. While you are experiencing a personal loss of a partner, you must make life-altering decisions regarding your financial status. If you are in the process of divorcing and need more information on how to divide your assets, the material below can help provide clarity.
What is the discovery process?
The discovery process in a divorce case is how each spouse provides their financial information to the other person. This process can be formal or informal.
Suppose you are in a difficult divorce case in which one spouse is refusing to provide all the requested financial information. In that case, it is common to use formal legal procedures to gain access to monetary documents.
Types of discovery
One way to get access to documents is to have your family law attorney request document production. This is an official request that financial information be disclosed to the other spouse in the divorce.
Additionally, interrogatories or requests for admissions require that the requested spouse confirm the information they have provided is correct. This process is important because if a spouse lies about their financial information, penalties may ensue.
Another option is a deposition. Depositions help to find out more information from the other spouse in a court-like environment. Depositions usually have a court reporter transcribing the meeting and are often conducted with people being sworn in under oath.
When to seek help
Ideally, you should hire a divorce attorney once you have decided to file for a divorce or you have received notification that your spouse has filed. Working with a professional experienced in this area of law may help your divorce proceedings go more smoothly.
Although the divorce discovery process can be challenging, it is important to ensure that you receive and provide all requested information. This will help you divide your marriage assets appropriately get the money you need to support yourself.