Access to Justice: Divorce

Providing accurate and objective information to help make the right decisions during a divorce in New Mexico, this guide provides answers to 360 queries such as What is the mediation process in New Mexico and is it required? How quickly can one get a divorce? Who decides who gets the cars, the pets, and the house? What actions might influence child custody? How are bills divided and paid during the divorce? How much will a divorce cost? and Will a spouse have to pay some or all attorney fees? Structured in a question-and-answer format, this divorce handbook provides clear and concise responses to help build confidence and give the peace of mind needed to meet the challenges of a divorce proceeding.

Commonsense strategies for dividing debts, setting alimony, negotiating a fair settlement and more.

Thanks to highprofile celebrity separations, TV talk shows and the personal experience of many, divorce means battle, plain and simple. But does it have to be a bloodletting that ends up in court? Not if a couple chooses mediation.Mediation is the quick, fair and low stress way to resolve all kinds of disputes, including divorce. It takes place in a quiet room without a judge or a jury and leaves the final decision to the parties involved, not a fleetfooted lawyer. Consequently, more and more divorcing couples are choosing to mediate rather than step inside the contentious courtroom. Attorney Mediator Katherine Stoner sheds light on the role of mediation in divorce and then explains how to:find a mediatorprepare for mediationanticipate what will happen in mediationconduct oneself in the mediationget an agreement in writingfind and use legal and other types of advisorsresearch state divorce laws. Keeping divorce out of court not only saves people money and time, it lessens the impact of the separation on children and other family members involved. (Who ever heard of a bloody mediation?) With Stoner’s encouraging, straightforward book in hand, couples have the antidote to frayed nerves, miserable families and protracted battles includes reams of worksheets and checklists.

This book guides you through all stages of separation and divorce with practical wisdom and compassion. Make the process simpler and reduce your expenses armed with information that will help you: understand the divorce process; learn the difference between different types of divorce, including mediated, collaborative, and contested; how to identify and divide property and assets fairly; work with mediators or lawyers; avoid expensive and painful court battles; establish child custody and visitation; handle child support issues, including how support is paid and enforced; draft a marital settlement agreement; deal with divorce emergencies; address post-divorce issues; negotiate and settle spousal support and includes state-specific charts!