Rely on Your Attorney

• Most people who file for divorce do so with an attorney at their sides, but a good share of those men and women sometimes fail to take the advice of their legal counsel. There are two considerations you should bear in mind here. First, you are best-served by taking the advice of your lawyer, and if you feel you are getting bad advice, retain a new lawyer. Second, as you head into troubling situations during your divorce case, turn to your attorney to resolve the issue rather than trying to mend it on your own.
  Divorce and family law attorneys are trained to effectively address and resolve problems that arise during the course of a case. Odds are that problems you experience in your own case are close to what your attorney has seen in other divorce actions in the past.
  Finally, if you do not have an attorney representing you, and you are facing unexpected problems in your case, you must seriously consider hiring a lawyer. The reality is that if you try to resolve some of these issues on your own, you can end up making them worse.
  
  

Consider Mediation

• During the past 15 years, mediation has begun to play a larger role in the family law system, particularly in regard to divorce cases. Mediation now is used regularly to deal with and resolve problems that arise during the course of a divorce case.
  If you are facing problems associated with your divorce action, mediation is an excellent option. Through mediation, an independent and unbiased individual will work with you and your spouse to work through problems and issues that you encounter in your divorce case.
  
  

Settlement Conference

• Another strategy that can be considered to resolve problems associated with your divorce is what is known as a settlement conference. Through a settlement conference, you and your attorney and your spouse and his or her legal counsel come together to attempt to resolve not only the problems associated with the case but also to dispose of any and all of the major issues outstanding in the divorce action.
  In some jurisdictions the judge will be present at the settlement conference as a means of keeping the parties moving in a positive direction and to encourage a resolution of issues and problems. In some jurisdictions, settlement conferences are required as part of the judicial process associated with a divorce case.