Tucson Family Law Blog

You undoubtedly never expected that after more than 10 years of marriage, you'd be getting divorced. Many Arizona spouses have can relate to your situation; in fact, some have been completely blindsided by divorce. Regardless of the details that have caused the breakdown in your marriage, it is understandable that your highest priority now is to make sure proceedings focus on the best interests of your children.

Perhaps, you've been dealing with your spouse's substance abuse problem for quite some time. Maybe you have evidence that your spouse has been physically or emotionally abusive to your kids. These and other extenuating circumstances often prompt concerned parents to seek sole custody of their children in divorce. If you plan to do so, there are several things to keep in mind.

As someone recently engaged, you find yourself sometimes thinking ahead with excitement to the wedding day and life together as newlyweds. It's an exciting time, but you also need to think about other important things other than the flavor of the wedding cake and the type of flowers you may have. You may also want to consider your long-term financial interests. 

You may never imagine that your marriage could one day end in divorce, but the reality is that many Arizona marriages do. It's smart to think ahead, plan for this possibility and consider the benefits of a prenuptial agreement. This is a legal agreement that can protect your interests and shield your finances in the event of a divorce. With this type of agreement in place, you can look to the future with confidence.

Divorce is not an easy process, and yours may have been emotional and painful, especially if you still had feelings for your spouse when the court finalized your split. Whether you always hoped you would get back together or were surprised by the sudden reunion, remarriage is in your future. With your history, however, it may be smart to look realistically at your situation. Remarriages do not have good track records, and you already know what you are getting into.

This is not to discourage you from taking this important step to renew your relationship with your former spouse. However, it is wise to take a critical look at the situation and determine if there are ways you can be proactive about protecting your future.

Working in law enforcement takes a certain type of personality. You need to be authoritative, confident and professional. At the same time, you work under the constant stress of often seeing people at the worst moments of their lives while making sure that you make it home safely after the end of each shift.

Leaving all of this at work in order to go home and enter into the role of parent isn't always easy. During your marriage, you at least had the other parent in the house to help shield your children from your job. Now that you are divorcing, you will need to find a way to manage each side of your life in order to enjoy your time with your children. This is only one aspect of the transitions you will go through during the divorce, since creating a child custody plan that takes into account all of the unique aspects of your job presents a challenge.