Divorce Balance

Negotiation > Recovery > Enhancement

Tuesday, April 5, 2005
Worth Every Penny!

A woman came in to see me for assistance with divorce transition strategy. She and her husband weren't far apart on their few issues of disagreement. But she didn't want my advice on divorce mediation.

"I guess I'm not clear what you gain from going on with this," I opened.

"Dell—" she began enthusiastically, her face lighting, "you should have seen the way my attorney took him apart at the deposition. Let's put it this way: She had him squirming and sweaty.

"Can you imagine how much better it will be at a trial?"

This seemed more like a rhetorical question than a sincere request for feedback on hygiene. So I responded obliquely.

"I'm wondering what this sweatshop work is going to cost you."

"That's the best part, Dell," she beamed. "It doesn't cost me anything! The judge is making him pay all my attorney fees."

"Those costs could rival the price of a luxury car."

"Worth every penny!"

"Okay. But let's say you'd been advised to ask the judge for $25,000 'cash' instead of 'legal fees.' The court gave that to you. You still get the settlement you said you'll get anyway when you came in today. Plus $25,000 on top of that.

"Would you spend this $25,000 'award' to hire an attorney just to make your husband smell bad?"

Her eyebrows knitted, and she looked at me in curious interest. "Have you ever seen a judge do that?"

Suddenly we're talking about real money now—.

—posted by Dell Deaton @3:06 PM EST 4/5/2005 [250]

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