If you get served with D papers, then I think that's right you need to hire a L immediately. I don't think you can stop the D, but you can delay it if you think the extra time will help in any way. My D has been going on for over a year, and I haven't even tried to delay it in anyway, just taking forever! I've heard that you can tell your L to delay it, but don't let your WAS know that you are doing that or having your L do that and blame everything on the L.
Have you read Divorce Remedy yet? I highly recommend that. If you post here and list a few more details, more people will post also, if you have any other questions. Sometimes we "vent" here too, instead of at our WAS. Karen