When you are going through a divorce or family law matter, many individuals going through it get frustrated by the pace. They want their case down right away. They want finality. They want the case closed.

This thought certainly makes sense in a lot of instances. Divorce and family law cases can be painful. Clients want to be able to move on and forward with their life. Some clients might be worried about the cost (emotionally and financially) of the case not completed as quickly as they want.

The problem in divorce and family law in moving a case quickly can be more complex than many think. There are really only three ways a divorce or family law case is generally going to end:

• The parties sign comprehensive settlement paperwork on all issues in the case with judicial approval.
• The parties end up conducting a trial or evidentiary hearing where the judge decides (which often takes a lot of time due to backed up dockets).
• The parties reconcile and/or dismiss the case.

For many, they seek and want a settlement in their case. They do not want to have to go through a trial. The reality, however, is settlement is difficult. For some, one, two, or even three key issues can cause a case not to settle. In other words, while both parties want to settle, there may be key issues in which they are not willing to compromise.

This leaves lots of parts either trying their case or setting it for trial and hoping to reach a last-minute settlement. This can be terribly frustrating for many individuals. They want their case to settle. They want their case to end. But they cannot settle.

So, in some instances, a party might be looking for an armchair quarterback to pontificate. In other words, simply talking with their attorney to see if there is a way to settle the case or simply waiting patiently for the trial date, they think there is a different way.

The different ways can often involve talking to other friends or family members who had family law cases themselves. They try to figure out what they did to move their case. Or, some individuals might end up calling other attorneys in their area, giving them a limited amount of facts and then asking them to weigh in on the situation.

However, an arm-chair quarterback has not been in the game. They are not on the field. They are simply watching the game from their couch or their chair.

Likewise, friends, family members, and other attorneys who are not in the case are not in the game. They likely do not know all the facts. They likely do not know what was said in court. They might not know the exact issues that hang up a settlement.

In most instances, the best for a party who wants to move their case quicker is to have a candid conversation with their attorney. Is there a way to get the case settled? Might mediation work? Can a settlement conference be set? Is there something else that can be done?  Or, are we better just to wait for the trial (which is going to take time) because the positions are so far apart?

If you are going through a divorce or family law matter, you can contact Stange Law Firm, PC at 855-805-0595.