“Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.”
- Winston Churchill -
Documents are King in Property Settlement Negotiations
If you are anything like me, and like most people, your memory is not perfect. You may remember birthdays but forget how much you paid for a couch, or you may be really good with remembering when you moved into your first house, but you can’t remember which bank you got the loan from.
That’s why documents are KING! It is very difficult to argue with a document.
To make sure you have the best chance of reaching an amicable agreement for your property settlement I always tell my clients to get together as many documents as possible. Some people don’t like to hear this, as they don’t like to provide this information, they think it could make their case worse or it’s just too much hard work trying to track it all down. But in my experience the earlier you provide as many documents as possible, the more likely you will avoid going to Court.
I had an enjoyable chat with Nic Hayes from Undercurrent TV about some of the myths around the divorce process. Seeing a lawyer for your divorce is not about ending up in court, it’s about understanding the life changing process you’re about to go through and heading off in the right direction.
My only advice… get legal advice… don’t rely on half truths and myths from friends, family and google!
Catherine Leach, Leach Legal
Talking Marriage, Divorce and Myths with Undercurrent
January 24, 2012 in
Amicable Divorce, Collaborative Practice, Defacto, Divorce Process with
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I was recently on Howard Sattler’s program chatting about our De Novo Guide to amicable divorce. There are many people who would love to have an amicable divorce, but it does require the right approach from both parties. I strongly believe that good advice early on can set you off in the right direction and maximise your chance of success – regardless of your partner’s approach. But when it comes to amicable divorce, as the old saying goes, it takes two to tango.
Episode 1:
Discussing De Novo with Howard Sattler
More episodes to follow later…
-Catherine Leach, Leach Legal-
Talking De Novo with Howard Sattler
November 23, 2011 in
Amicable Divorce with
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Seven things to get from your first family lawyer meeting
I always like my clients to have a sense of value out of any meeting we have together, so I’ve prepared this outline of what your first meeting is all about so that you can be adequately prepared and clear on your expectations, regardless of which Perth family law firm you have chosen to use.
You first meeting with a lawyer is very important. You need to come away from your meeting with a clear idea of what the different processes are for your separation or divorce, what you need to do from that point and with clear advice about what you are entitled to.
At your first meeting the 7 things that you should get from your appointment are:
Defacto or not Defacto?
Not all of my clients in my Perth family law firm are married. Quite often they have been living together and are seeking advice on whether they should go through a legal separation, or just break up and go their separate ways. The first question we need to establish is whether or not they are in fact a defacto couple.
Most people think that if two people live together as a couple then they are in a defacto relationship. I have heard many people say that if you live together for more than six months the other party gets half your assets. There are lots of myths and half truths about defacto relationships.
