Communicating During Your Divorce – Allegheny County Divorce Lawyer

By virtue of the very nature of divorce, it comes as no surprise that the majority of our Pennsylvania divorce clients have difficulty communicating with their soon-to-be ex. In many cases, the breakdown in communication itself can be partly attributed to the demise of the parties’ marriage. Whatever it may be, keeping the lines of communication open during a divorce can oftentimes be beneficial for couples going through the divorce process in Pennsylvania.

Consider the case of celebrity chef Nigella Lawson and her husband Charles Saatchi. The couple recently made headlines when a paparazzo snapped a shot of Mr. Saatchi clutching his hands around his wife’s neck while dining outdoors at a popular restaurant. Though the couple initially denied the incident was an act of domestic violence, Nigella moved out of the home she and her husband shared shortly after the photograph was published. But to Nigella’s apparent surprise, it was her husband who filed for divorce! To make matters worse, Nigella learned of his intention to file for divorce the same way we all did – through the media!

Sources have reported that Nigella has tried to talk to her husband, but he refuses to communicate with her. Judging from the pictures snapped by the paparazzo earlier this year, it’s hard to imagine the divorce is a result of a simple miscommunication; but that doesn’t meant that these two couldn’t benefit from some arms-length communication. Unfortunately, it seems that this is just the beginning of the drama that will become the Lawson-Saatchi divorce and while this one may play out in the public-eye, we can’t help but hope that the spouses will find a way to communicate before the tension (and legal fees) reach a fever pitch.

Keeping the lines of communication open can really make a difference when it comes to divorce litigation. For example, the Pennsylvania equitable distribution process encourages parties to exchange financial information to reach a settlement of the parties’ economic claims and this can be accomplished in two ways: formal or informal discovery. Parties can benefit from utilizing informal means of discovery to obtain documents and information at a much lower expense than formal discovery. In this way, if the parties are able to maintain even a modicum of communication throughout the process it can end up saving them thousands in attorney’s fees.

In addition, communication is extremely important for parties with minor children. Because the divorce will necessitate some form of custody sharing arrangement, it’s inevitable that the former spouses will need to communicate on a fairly regular basis regarding the children. Parties that simply can’t communicate often find themselves in court, where a judge who doesn’t know the details of their family situation ends up making a decision that can change the whole family dynamic.

If you’re going through a divorce in Pennsylvania you should consider keeping the lines of communication open with your soon-to-be-ex. If you’re interested in learning more about ways to keep up the communication and keep the attorney’s fees down, contact our office today to schedule a consultation with one of our experienced Pittsburgh Divorce Lawyers.

Tags: Amicable Divorce in Pennsylvania; No-Fault Divorce in PA; Divorce Mediation; Divorce without Attorneys Fees; PA Divorce Lawyer