my experience: the person you are dealing with doesnt change. what they are like before and during proceedings, is the same person after. i'm still waiting for the x to become the better person i was hoping a D would change her into. she's not, it didnt, i still get the same grief.
whatever you do, always make sure that you can always be proud of yourself. no regrets. no new guilt.
that goes for getting what you deserve, dont give up anything just to make things go smoother, or go after more than what is right. where i am, there are mathematical formulas to determine division of assets, its when you agree to something outside of these guidelines that things get messy. In the end you have to be proud of yourself, you dont want to have to justify your actions to yourself.
my x hired a "bull-dog" lawyer, but that backfired on her, she also had to pay the extra fees.
listen to your L. my L was excellent, she did not force any issues, called things out exactly how they were, but there were things she said that i shrugged off. I regret shrugging them off.
document everything.
remove as much emotion as possible.
dont feel pity when its not due.
you will get through this, one way or another. it may seem like time doesnt pass anymore, but hack it out now. i've gone past my the anniversary of my D and didnt realize it till days later.
"In a ham and eggs breakfast, the hen is involved, but the pig is committed".
