The Human Side of Divorce

As divorce attorneys, we deal with human tragedy. Every divorce represents a broken dream. Every family feels a rupture. What draws a legal team to enter such a field?

I got divorced nearly ten years ago. I was already a family law attorney, who had assisted with many divorces. But I had never watched my own children deal with divorce. I had never grappled with the sense of responsibility every parent feels, for even the most justified filing for divorce.

My first husband and I tried to keep the impending divorce secret from our children while he moved out and we looked into marriage counseling. He would come home early in the morning, to be there when the children woke up. It was clear to both of us that it was not working before we got in an argument after the children were in bed one night, and he stormed out. As the front door closed, the door to my six-year old daughter's room opened, and she crept over and leaned her head against me.

"Mommy, are you and Daddy getting a divorce?"

I picked her up and took her to my room and crawled under the covers with her, trying to think what to say. I finally just told her "I think we are." She nodded her head quietly, trying to keep her eyes dry. I told her "It's all right, honey. You can cry if you want to." And then she did. I sat on the bed rocking her and kissing her hair while she sobbed and tears flowed down my own face.

Every one of us that work at Bolton Law, has had our own lives touched by the area of family law; whether it is through our own divorce, observing the divorce of parents, or having been part of a child custody case, as a parent or, as a child. We have all felt the need for understanding and compassion during our own crises. We know how close to the surface feelings run during those times.

When I represent someone in a divorce, I want to help them through those moments, whether I do that by having a box of tissues ready, or by joining them in light-hearted jokes that make the process a little more bearable. All of us feel a deep desire to lighten the load of this heavy period for our clients. We will help you identify what issues are likely to matter in the divorce process; not just right now, but when you look back in the years ahead.