Chapter 11: We Suck at Negotiation
We tried to negotiate a divorce settlement three times. All three were spectacular failures. The first took place at the start of the second day of Scott’s deposition. Scott and
Chapter 11: Lessons Learned
We failed at three negotiation methods: direct, direct attorney and court ordered mediation. This is not surprising as we were a “High-Conflict Divorce,” though not because we were by nature
Chapter 12: My Financial Statement
Scott and I had different views on the amount of alimony he would pay me. No surprise: his number was MUCH lower than mine. Since our negotiations were a failure,
Chapter 12: Lessons Learned
A “regular” divorce (one without all of the extramarital drama mine had) will include several decisions that must either be negotiated or determined by the judge at trial, including How
Chapter 13: It (Almost) All Comes Out at Trial
Patrick and Marianne called Scott as an adverse witness on the afternoon of the fourth day of trial, when it became clear Scott was not going to testify on his
Chapter 13: Lessons Learned
The lessons I learned in this chapter of my journey reinforced earlier themes. I. The Right Lawyer The most important reinforcement was to trust my lawyers. Of course, I wanted
Chapter 14: The Judgement
The judge handed down his decision on June 31, 2015, four months after the trial’s end. I did particularly well in the distribution of our marital assets. My alimony was
Chapter 14: Lessons Learned
Your divorce agreement is ready to sign or your lawyer has just sent you the judge’s decision. For good or bad, you think your divorce marathon is finally over. Not
Epilogue: Spring, 2019
I sold the house in spring of 2016 and left Massachusetts one month after my youngest daughter graduated from high school. I had come full circle. I couldn’t leave in