I’m in the middle of one

1. 01Serving documents after the petition: the deadline trap that catches pro se filersWhy email isn't enough, why physical mail is the default, and the mutual-agreement rule that decides whether you met your deadline.5-minute read
2. 02Discovery: the formal information exchangeInterrogatories, depositions, document requests, subpoenas — the pre-trial information exchange, when it matters, and what it actually costs.5-minute read
3. 03Mediation: when it's cheaper, faster, and not for everyoneA trained neutral helps you negotiate without a courtroom. When mediation works, when it absolutely doesn’t, and what to bring to the first session.5-minute read
4. 04Preparing for divorce mediationDocuments to bring, decisions to think through first, your BATNA, how anchoring shapes outcomes, and the emotional prep that pays off in the room.5-minute read
5. 05Temporary orders: the rules that hold while the case runsCourt orders that govern custody, support, the house, and bills while the divorce is pending — what you can ask for, how to ask, and what they don’t decide.5-minute read
6. 06Settling vs. going to trial: when each is the right callRoughly 95% of divorces settle. The decision framework for when settlement is right, when trial is the better lever, and what trial actually costs.5-minute read
7. 07High-conflict divorces: when the standard playbook failsWhat makes a divorce structurally high-conflict, what you can and can’t change, and the legal, communication, and documentation moves that work.5-minute read

Why these articlesOngoing service is the repeating mechanic the rest of the messy middle runs on — get it wrong and a missed deadline can erase a winning argument. From there, discovery and mediation are where most cases turn: what to produce, how to prepare for the negotiation, what temporary orders cover while you wait, and how to recognize when settlement isn't realistic.