On behalf of The Law Office of Gustavo E. Frances, P.A.
“Testifying at a divorce hearing? Easy. Just humiliate and badmouth my spouse to get an upper hand and that’s it,” you are probably thinking. But that’s not how it works.
Our Fort Lauderdale divorce lawyer at The Law Office of Gustavo E. Frances, P.A., says that there are certain rules of testifying at a divorce hearing, and the majority of divorcing couples in Florida are not aware of those rules.
These golden rules of testifying at a Florida divorce hearing have been inspired by decades of litigating divorce cases in Fort Lauderdale and all across Florida. Our best divorce attorney in Florida has personally produced the following list of golden rules to make sure that our clients testify successfully at their deposition or in court during a divorce case with or without an attorney.
15 Golden Rules of Testifying At A Divorce Hearing
- Tell the truth, and nothing but the truth.
- Know what you are saying and why you are saying it. Your testimony at a divorce hearing must be structured in a way to get the court’s attention and, ultimately, get the judge and your spouse’s lawyer to accept your terms.
- Unless you play your cards right, your testimony might hurt your divorce case.
- You need to be prepared for any (even the most unpredictable and uncomfortable) questions from the judge.
- Think twice before answering questions from the judge.
- Do not attempt to badmouth or belittle your spouse.
- Keep your answers concise and to the point: instead of talking indiscreetly and excessively during your testimony, answer only the questions asked.
- Do not react to provocations by your spouse and his/her lawyer and do not let your spouse take control of your testimony.
- If you have made mistakes in the course of your marriage, do not be afraid to admit them (but only if your spouse or his/her divorce attorney Fort Lauderdale mentions those mistakes).
- Do not be afraid to use such phrases as “I do not know” and “I do not recall” during the testimony, but only when you sincerely do not know the answer to a question asked or cannot immediately recall the events the judge or opposing party is referring to.
- When responding to questions from the judge, avoid guessing and speculating.
- Be in control of your emotions throughout the testimony.
- Get legal help from an experienced divorce attorney in Fort Lauderdale or elsewhere in Florida before testifying.
- Behave maturely and keep a cool head.
- Remember that you are never off the record, and anything you say at the testimony may and will be later used against you.
Your testimony at the divorce hearing is one of the most essential elements of your divorce proceeding. “In fact,” says our Fort Lauderdale divorce attorney from The Law Office Of Gustavo E. Frances, P.A., “Depending on how your testimony goes, it can make a major difference between winning and losing your divorce case.”
That is why the importance of getting a free consultation from a skilled divorce lawyer ahead of your testimony cannot be overstated. Schedule a free case evaluation with our attorneys by calling at 954-533-2756 today.
