Are you searching for what do when your spouse wants a divorce in Louisville, Kentucky? You may feel shocked, overwhelmed, and unsure of what to do next. That reaction is completely normal — but waiting too long to act can seriously harm your legal and financial position.
3 Key Takeaways of What to Do When Your Spouse Tells You They Want A Divorce in Louisville, Kentucky:
- Your spouse has probably been planning this for months and has already consulted with an attorney. You will need an experienced Louisville divorce and family law attorney to provide sound advice, guide you through every step of the process, develop strategies to manage things, and ensure your own goals and interests are protected and accomplished.
- If you wait until you are actually served with divorce papers, you will be behind and on the defensive from the outset. If you are served, you must respond within a very short period of time, or else the Judge will usually consider a “summary judgment,” awarding everything your spouse has asked for.
- There are a lot of documents and important information you will need to (legally) gather. Do not use your spouse’s credentials to log in to any account without speaking with our attorneys, as this can negatively impact your credibility and possibly open the door to other legal and financial exposure.
When a Spouse Tells You They Want a Divorce, They’ve Almost Always Been Planning It for Months
The reality is simple: when one spouse announces a decision to divorce, they have usually been planning it for months. In most cases, they have already consulted with a divorce attorney and begun preparing a legal strategy. That is why knowing what to do immediately when your spouse wants a divorce in Louisville can protect your rights, your children, and your future.
Don’t Wait Until You are Served with Divorce Papers
Many of our past clients have been emotionally shocked, stuck in this moment, and waited until the papers arrived to take action. Unfortunately, by that point, you are already behind.
Once a divorce petition is filed in Jefferson County Family Court, it often includes requests for:
- Child custody and parenting time
- Child support
- Maintenance (spousal support)
- Temporary financial orders
You typically have only a short period to respond. Failing to respond almost always results in the Judge granting everything the filing spouse requested by default. This is why it is crucial to call Dodd & Dodd attorneys at (502) 584-1108 or contact us immediately to schedule an appointment.
Our experienced Louisville divorce and family law attorneys have represented clients for decades. We consistently see the same pattern:
When one spouse announces they want a divorce, they already have legal guidance and a plan, and the other spouse is still processing their disbelief, questions, and fears when the papers arrive. You need to preserve all your options and begin to consider actions you can take to protect your own interests, your options as a parent, your financial position, and the things that are most important to you.
Contacting a Louisville divorce attorney at Dodd & Dodd as soon as possible allows you to:
- Understand your legal rights
- Prepare your financial position
- Protect your relationship with your children
- Develop a proactive strategy rather than a reactive defense
Documents You Will Need, and Things You Need to Attend to Immediately:
As soon as divorce becomes a possibility, begin organizing at least 2 to 3 years of financial records, including:
- Business and personal tax returns
- W-2s and income records
- Bank, investment, and retirement account statements and records
- Credit cards and loan statements
- Mortgage and real estate documents
NOTE: Do not access your spouse’s accounts using their login credentials. Doing so can damage your credibility and your case.
If documents are not directly available:
- Make note of institutions and account numbers
- Provide that information to your attorney
- Let the formal discovery process handle disclosure
Kentucky law requires full and honest financial disclosure. If your spouse hides assets, underreports income, or misrepresents values, your Dodd & Dodd attorney can protect you and your interests, and the Court will usually impose severe sanctions on parties that attempt to mislead you or the Court itself.
There are Steps You Need to Take to Prepare Legally, Financially, and Emotionally Immediately
When your spouse wants a divorce in Louisville, the first step is to take a deep breath and allow the emotional shock and other impacts to settle before making decisions or statements that might actually be against your interests. This especially applies to all communications, including texts, emails, voicemails, social media posts, and even handwritten notes.
You’ll want and need to:
Assume every communication you send may be read in Court.
Never respond in anger.
Never argue in public or on social media.
Know the Judge is watching every action taken by the parties, and how they handle themselves during the process and outside of the courtroom. This is especially important to consider if children are involved.
Do Not Move Out or Take Action Without Legal Advice
Leaving the marital home — particularly when children are involved — can be used against you in custody and property decisions. Always speak with your Dodd attorney before making decisions or taking action.
We invite you to review the strong recommendations of our former clients and the legal industry and contact Dodd & Dodd or call 502-584-1108 to schedule an appointment with one of our attorneys.
You need to begin building a legal strategy tailored to your situation. It’s essential to consider and establish your own goals. You will need to be prepared to respond to any petition in a timely and effective manner. In some situations, filing first can be strategically important.
You Need to Know You Are Not Alone, You Do Have Options
When your spouse wants a divorce in Louisville, it may or may not shock or surprise you. But you do not have to face the process and the future unprepared. With experienced guidance, you can protect your rights, your children, and your financial future.
The Louisville divorce attorneys at Dodd & Dodd are here to help you understand the process, anticipate what comes next, and plan each step in the process from the very beginning. Moving forward may seem unimaginable at this moment, but there is a pathway forward. We’ll help you through it.
