When Pennsylvania couples decide to divorce, they may experience a range of emotions, from anger and confusion to even a sense of relief. Depending on the circumstances leading to the end of the marriage, some people may want to lash out against their spouse or use the divorce proceedings in an attempt to hold them accountable. While this emotional response may be entirely understandable, it may also not always work in that person’s favor. There may be a number of reasons for people even in high-conflict divorces to consider reaching a negotiated agreement rather than moving forward to a trial.
Family court judges may, in many cases, discourage couples from going to trial and encourage them to reach a divorce settlement. This does not mean that they would need to sit alone, talk and potentially argue over the financial aspects of the divorce. In most cases, their respective family law attorneys can work with them to propose potential settlements that could move the divorce towards finalization. Many people prefer to settle in order to reach an end to the problem more quickly; it can take a year or more to go to trial, while a settlement may be reached in a matter of months.
Going to trial may be more costly, because people need to pay legal fees and court costs. They may need to hire expert witnesses to address important issues as well.
In some cases, going to trial may still be the right decision.Either way, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, divorce lawyers may help clients to develop a workable strategy and aim to achieve a solution on child custody, property division and other applicable issues.