Question: I definitely need a divorce but I'm worried about what my husband will say about me in divorce papers and to the court. I don't know how that will influence my case and I'm worried my husband will say all the bad stuff he knows about me.
We've been married for almost 29 years and I have gotten into some trouble. I've been arrested for shoplifting in Alpharetta and Atlanta, I was in rehab for alcohol about 8 years ago, and he caught me cheating with a college buddy of his from their days at Georgia Southern University (I went to Brenau University) when we all went on vacation. And we smoke pot together sometimes, but I don't think he'll say much about the marijuana because we've smoked together for years.
We both want to get a divorce because we haven't gotten along since my mother moved into our house. She used to live in Dunwoody but she can't take care of herself anymore because she broke a leg and I think she has Alzheimer's disease. So I told my husband she had to live with us.
My mom's been living with us for about 5 years and her drinking is getting out of hand. And because of Alzheimer's, she forgets how much she drinks, so she gets pretty drunk on her whiskey and tequila and she has passed out on the kitchen and bathroom floor.
I've heard from a friend you are great Atlanta divorce lawyers, and I want to know that if I were to hire you, you have to know all the bad stuff about me. I'm not proud of it, but it's my life and maybe my husband will use it against me.
F.T. in Atlanta, GA
Answer: A good divorce attorney will find out from you what bad things your spouse might say about you and what evidence, if any, your spouse has against you. We want to know what material can be used against you. It could be video, audio, texts, emails, pictures or social media posts on websites like Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat. It's certainly important to inform your lawyer about anything that the opposing side could use against you. We never want to be surprised.
As Atlanta divorce lawyers, we have had many cases where text messages, emails, and photographs have been very helpful or hurtful to our case. We have seen this evidence show love affairs, cruelty to a spouse or children, or hidden valuable assets like art, real estate, and gun collections. Sometimes this evidence can be rebutted or lessened if we know about it in advance and we can take steps to minimize its impact.