View source for Understanding the Legal System for Family Law Matters

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There once was a game show called ''Let's Make a Deal'' which aired for a number of years beginning in the 1960s. The idea with the show was that people would be selected from the studio audience, and then be given something of value. They were then given the choice of keeping what they'd been given or trading that initial prize for something else hidden behind a curtain or in a box. If the contestant guessed right, they might win a pile of cash, a new car or a vacation trip, but if they guessed wrong they might have to trade their initial prize for a case of beans, a Christmas sweater or a llama.

You can negotiate the settlement of a family law dispute like you're playing ''Let's Make a Deal'', but that's a bad idea. If you can't get the information you need to know from your ex about whether you are making a good deal or a bad deal, the odds are that you're making a bad deal. In family law disputes, people usually need to know each other's incomes, the value of savings and pensions, and the value of property, as well as the amount owing on credit cards, loans and mortgages. If you cannot get this financial information from your ex, you may have no choice but to start a court proceeding.