There’s a lot to manage when it comes to divorce proceedings in California, or in any state for that matter. Challenges include having to figure out the financial side of things, anxiety about any potential child support or visitation arrangements, and the potential for deep emotional conflict or tension among all involved parties. Even just communicating with the soon-to-be-ex can be a challenge, especially if there’s a large amount of resentment or bitterness at play.

With so many challenges to navigate, it’s important to organize yourself where you can. One effective way that can help you maintain some control of difficult communications is via clearly-defined boundaries and expectations that all involved parties should adhere to. 

Today’s blog post covers a few boundaries that you should consider implementing when navigating your CA divorce. With these practices in mind, you can hopefully temper the more challenging aspects of your interactions with the ex, which will allow you to focus on the other key issues that you have to contend with during this process. 

Restrict the Channels of Communication

As soon as your CA divorce has kicked off and is in motion, it’s time to tighten all communications with the ex. Make sure you’re only conversing or reaching out to them via mediums that can be recorded, such as via text messages, e-mail, or other forms of written communication. This will help you protect yourself against any vague or unclear discussions, as well as potential bad faith attempts from the other party to misrepresent what was said or events that took place. 

This is especially true if you’re discussing sensitive matters relating directly to the divorce, such as child custody, potential parental or child support, and more. If the ex isn’t adhering to your boundaries, remember that you don’t have to respond. You also don’t have to speak with them directly, as you can also simply route all communications via your attorney. 

Restrict Topics and Conversations to Specific Areas of Discussion

That said, divorce is often much more manageable when you do keep an open line of communication and foster a sense of mutual collaboration and respect with the other party. If you’re finding it difficult to converse with the other person but don’t want to directly shut down the lines of communication, you can consider implementing restrictions as to what conversations or discussions are acceptable. 

Emphasize the fact that you are not interested in rehashing old fights or conversations, and will only discuss relevant topics that are productive to your divorce proceedings. Stick to your guns and don’t respond or engage if the other party refuses to stick to the agreed-upon topics and conversations. 

Remain Neutral, Polite, and Open for Collaboration

Just as you can record and document what the ex says, the opposite is true as well. One of the biggest tips we can offer is to ensure that your communications always remain courteous, polite, and “professional.”  Don’t let your emotions get the better of you and remain calm and collected at all times. If this is proving to be a challenge, remember that you can leverage the help of a family law attorney to manage these communications on your behalf. 

Consult With A CA Family Law Attorney Today

We hope these tips prove invaluable as you work with all involved parties to move your CA divorce forward. Above all, we want to take this time to remind you of the importance of having your own legal representation, an attorney solely dedicated to protecting you and your rights, as well as those of your loved ones. 

Count on the White Oak Law for all your family law needs in CA. Call us at 925-271-0999 to learn more about how we can help.