INDUSTRY INSIGHT
FAMILY LAW
OPTING FOR AN
UNCONTESTED
DIVORCE
Cook & Associates
Experience, Honesty and Results
Divorce | Custody | Support
Alimony | Division of Assets/ Debts
106 Arcadia Court
9380 McKnight Road
Pittsburgh, PA 15237
(across McKnight from the Outback)
Amanda C. Cook
412-366-8980
www.pittlawyers.com
SPONSORED CONTENT
W
hat does it mean to have an uncontested
divorce in Pennsylvania?
It means that the parties work together to
settle all of the issues that might arise during
the divorce and avoid the time, expense and family devastation
that often accompanies a court battle.
In a contested divorce, the parties often have to take part in
long, expensive information‑gathering missions, attend court
hearings and motions, and potentially participate and testify
in a trial. For each step, the parties have to pay their attorneys
to prepare for and draft the court documents required for each
step. And ultimately, when a judge who knows very little about
the parties’ actual lives makes the decisions about their future,
it is not uncommon that nobody is happy with the outcome. On
the other hand, parties can craft a settlement that makes sense
for their lives and for the specifics of their situation.
But, maybe more importantly, it will help to maintain a
workable relationship between the spouses. As is common in
most divorces, the issuance of a Decree in Divorce is not the last
the two spouses will see of one another. If there are children,
there will be a lifetime of birthday parties, weddings and
grandbabies. Even without children, there are almost always
lasting connections. But, if the spouses are able to be civil,
if not friendly, it saves everyone from the stress, anxiety and
awkwardness of having two adversaries in one place.
How can family law attorneys help?
Separating and divorcing is a stressful time. Not only are
spouses navigating a new reality in their personal lives, but
now they are tasked with negotiating through the laws and
procedures of the legal system. This is where a family law
attorney can step in to help. First, a family law attorney can give a
party a realistic idea of what outcomes he or she might expect if
the case did go through the courts. This will help inform a party
as to the realistic outline of a settlement. And then the family
law attorney will help negotiate with the other side having this
outline in mind. When things get tense between spouses, the
family law attorneys can step in to negotiate and ease the stress.
With the help of family law attorneys, parties can spend less
time fighting and more time establishing the foundations of a
new life. In the meantime, the stress, time, money, and emotional
scars that often accompany a contested divorce can be avoided.
This Industry Insight was written by attorney Amanda C. Cook. Ms. Cook is a Senior Associate at Cook & Associates located in McCandless Township. For over a decade, she has
provided her clients with compassionate representation during the often‑difficult divorce, support and custody processes. Ms. Cook is also a certified mediator. Other areas of
practice for Cook & Associates include estate planning and probate, real estate law and business law. For a free initial consultation, please call Ms. Cook today at 412.366.8980 or
visit the website at www.pittlawyers.com.
ROSS TOWNSHIP
❘
FALL 2019
11