Legal professionals in Arizona and other states have started calling January “Divorce Month.” Statistics from a study conducted in 2016 at the University of Washington confirmed that divorce filings went up in the month of January from the year 2001 to 2015. Additionally, searches for the word “divorce” or “divorce party” go up during January in search engines and online platforms.
There are a couple of things that may behind the upward trend in divorces during the month of January. First, many couples are under a lot of stress because of travel or spending time with family during the holiday season. They may have the thought that they never want to spend the holiday season again with their spouse. Second, starting the new year and hoping to make positive changes means that some decide that divorce is their best option. Even if divorce is on a person’s mind during December, most people decide to wait until the holidays are over before breaking the news to their children or family members.
While divorce is usually a difficult process, it does not need to be contentious. If couples learn about the divorce process and they focus on kindness, it will go a long way in helping the divorcing couple and their children to survive the process as best as possible. The more a person knows, the easier it will be.
An individual who feels like getting a divorce is in their best interests may have questions about divorce legal issues. They may wonder about property division, high asset divorce, child support or legal decision-making and parenting time. An attorney might answer some of their questions. The attorney may also represent an individual in court, perhaps arguing for their fitness as a parent or showing why spousal support would be necessary for them.