Having Second Thoughts? Stopping a Divorce in its Tracks

At Scott Levine Family Law, we understand how difficult going through a divorce can be. You can experience a roller coaster of emotions throughout the process, and many times, couples decide the divorce isn’t what they want. How can you stop a divorce from being finalized? We’re here to help.

Are you considering divorce and want to learn how to stop a divorce in Florida? Divorce is never an easy decision, but it can be even more complicated when children are involved. There are many ways people try to save their marriage after they have separated; we will discuss three of the most common options below.

1) Legal Separation: A legal separation allows couples to live separately while still being legally married. This gives them time apart from one another without ending their relationship altogether or going through the process of a full-blown divorce.

2) Living Apart Together: When couples have been living separate lives for some time, this option may work well for them as well. These relationships often start with a couple living together, but as time passes and the relationship breaks down, they stop sharing a home.

There is also another option that we see increasing; this option gives couples more freedom than either of the first two options. This third alternative involves one or both spouses filing for divorce in Florida while remaining married until all necessary documents have been filed with the court.

This option works well because it allows couples some time apart from one another to work on themselves and figure out what is best for their own lives as individuals without having to end their relationship entirely or go through a legal separation that may take months before they can be finalized.

When two people who love each other break up, it can be challenging to convince the ex to give their relationship another chance. The key is for them not to make any emotional decisions — stay focused on logic and facts instead of making assumptions about what might work out well in this situation alone

I’ve seen many people try unsuccessfully to get back together with an unhappy partner because most will offer all sorts of reasons as justification: how much time has passed since things cooled down? What have you guys been doing lately without communicating so closely anymore…? Is there anything new from now on between us aside from these old memories

Dos and Don’ts for Stopping a Divorce

Dos:

• Give it time and keep the lines of communication open. Separating after a relationship has been going on for a long time can be difficult to do without feeling as though you’ve given up on the relationship. Do not let this discourage you from trying to save your marriage, as you may never know if things might work out until you try.
• Be proactive and put in the work to figure out what’s going wrong and why it’s happening. Spend the time needed trying to determine what changes could be made to help rebuild trust and intimacy.
• Figure out how you’re going to survive financially and otherwise if your spouse moves out or vice versa. Be prepared for any unexpected event that comes your way by looking into what you need to do in case of an emergency or other unforeseen circumstances.
• Understand that this is not your only option, and there are several ways to try and save your marriage, including legal separation, living apart together, etc.

Don’ts:

• Act rashly if emotions start getting involved (you may talk yourself out of doing the right thing and trying again).
• Put all of your eggs in one basket — there are several ways to try and save a marriage. Make sure you explore every option before giving up.
• Ignore what’s happening around you because things will continue as they have been if left unchecked (this is not likely to change unless effort is made to change it).
• Assume that everything will work out on its own because unless you do something about the situation, nothing will get done, and your marriage could end in divorce.

For clients who think they can work on their marriage and would like some time after filing divorce papers to try and settle their issues before dissolving the union, a Motion to ABATE the proceedings is filed. This means the divorce is put on hold. Typically, the couple is given 60 to 90 days to reconcile, and the best way to go about this is by attending marriage counseling to get to the core of the couple’s problems. If the couple was living apart for the divorce, we encourage them to still live separately because moving back together can fuel the stress of the relationship rather quickly and put them back at square one. We also encourage couples to meet with their attorney throughout the process of reconciling regularly. The attorney needs to be involved as much as possible throughout the process because it’s much easier for them to help you if they are kept in the loop.

If the parties can reconcile and neither wants the divorce to go forward, the petitioner who filed for divorce can file a motion to voluntarily dismiss the dissolution proceedings. Once the paperwork is finalized, the divorce will not be processed, and the couple will remain legally married.

On the other hand, if the couple is not able to work out their issues during the reconciliation period and choose to move forward, the process begins again from scratch. For this reason, it’s essential to be 100% sure of your decision to file for divorce to avoid doubting yourself down the line and having to re-file and pay for double the fees.

Feel free to contact Levine Family Law at 954-587-2244 if you have any questions or concerns regarding reconciling a divorce. We want nothing more than to help you through this confusing time, and we will be there for you regardless of the outcome.