Divorce Lawyer
In the midst of a divorce, the last thing you want to do is attend marriage counseling. Chances are you’ve been fighting this for a long time and you probably just want to get it over with. Why would you have to attend court-ordered marriage counseling? It doesn’t happen very often, but there are some instances in which it could.
At the Request of the Other Spouse
If you are the one who instigated the divorce, filed the paperwork and is eager to move on, you might have a spouse who is dragging his or her feet. The other spouse might request the judge order you to marriage counseling. In his or her attempt to hang on to you as long as possible, or to salvage the marriage, your spouse could convince a judge reconciliation is possible. In that case, you might have to attend court-ordered marriage counseling.
Unless both parties are willing to make a change, counseling doesn’t typically work very well, but with one spouse committed to the relationship, anything is possible.
At the Request of the Judge
A judge can independently order marriage counseling if he or she thinks your marriage is salvageable. Perhaps after listening to both of you, the judge sees that there’s just a lot of hurt, but still a lot of love. He or she might ask you to attend a certain amount of counseling sessions to see if you can work beyond the hurt and find solutions to the issues that plague your marriage. After the amount of counseling sessions ordered, you could then proceed with the divorce if that’s what you decided to do.
Other Types of Counseling That May Be Required
There are other types of counseling that could be court-ordered during the course of a divorce. This may include divorce counseling to resolve conflict and safely share feelings. It could also be family counseling that encourages parents and children to get through the divorce in a healthy way. Parent education classes and mediation might also be court-ordered for the divorcing couple.
Contacting Your Attorney
Every divorce situation is different, so it’s important you speak with your family lawyer before proceeding. Your lawyer can help you understand the grounds for your court-ordered marriage counseling, as well as what you should try to get from it. Whether you have been ordered to counseling or not, contact your attorney today to have all your questions answered and to get started on the right path.