Guiding You Through Your Cape Cod Divorce

Attorney Heath M. Ward

The prospect of getting a divorce can be intimidating and unsettling, even for the unhappiest of couples. While divorce can certainly be complicated, you don’t have to navigate the divorce process on your own. At the office of Heather Ward Law, our Cape Cod divorce lawyer is available to provide you with the qualified representation that you deserve. For your initial consultation please call Heather Ward Law today.

Practicing divorce and Family Law on the Cape is noticeably different than practicing closer to Boston, and in a good way! For one, I notice that my Cape Cod clients often have close emotional connections to the real estate involved in the divorce. It is not uncommon when you’re divorcing your spouse to readily propose selling marital property. However, on the Cape, I’ve had clients who have owned property in various towns, including Barnstable and Wellfleet, where the property has been in their family for years, and the idea of selling is heartbreaking. As such, in my experience parties are willing to be creative in fashioning divorce settlements, as opposed to immediately just selling real estate.

“Heather has been nothing but perfect. She has helped me and my family in so many ways. She goes above and beyond and for that I am very grateful.”

– Wilton B.

Attorney Heather Ward can help you navigate all of the issues in your divorce, beginning with understanding the different divorce types and the process for filing your petition for divorce.

  • Filing for divorce. If you are filing for divorce in Massachusetts, it’s important that you familiarize yourself with the requirements for filing for divorce, the types of divorce, and the various documents you will need to file with the court and serve to your spouse. 
  • Responding to a petition for divorce. If you are served with a divorce complaint and summons, you must respond to the request for divorce within a specific amount of time. Indeed, you should respond to the complaint within 20 days. (Refer to your summons for specific dates that are relevant to your case.)
  • Reaching a settlement about issues in your divorce. Once the initial paperwork has been filed, then you and your spouse will need to reach a resolution about various issues in your divorce, preferably through negotiation and mediation. These issues include child custody, child support, property division, and alimony/spousal maintenance.
  • Litigating your divorce. In the event that you and your spouse are unable to reach an agreement about the terms of your divorce, litigation may be required. Our lawyer is skilled in the courtroom and able to aggressively represent you.

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“Heather m ward is very professional she knows her jurisprudence she sticks with you until the end she is very compassionate about what she does very caring I looked her up on line and hired her it was the best thing I ever did she is the best I would recommend her the best of the best!”

– Deborah R.

Why Work with a Cape Cod Divorce Lawyer

 There is no requirement to work with a Cape Cod divorce lawyer when you are ending your marriage, but doing so is strongly recommended. When you work with our Cape Cod divorce attorney, you can benefit by:

  • Gaining a better understanding of the law. Our lawyer will explain to you the various laws that pertain to your case, and how to best navigate them.
  • Having an advocate on your side during negotiations. Whether you are negotiating or litigating your divorce case, our lawyer will serve as your representative and advocate.
  • Protecting your best interests and your future. Even if you and your spouse are able to reach an agreement about the terms of your divorce on your own, it’s still important to work with a lawyer who can review the terms of your divorce and ensure that you aren’t sacrificing your best interests or agreement to something that could harm your future.

Cape Cod Divorce Past Cases

I’ve had some interesting divorce cases in the Barnstable Probate & Family Court. One of my most memorable cases involved a client who resided in Brewster.  The parties owned real estate not only in Brewster, but also in Provincetown, and of course all marital property had to be divided in some fashion during the divorce process, as the parties did not have a prenuptial agreement outlining any division in the event of divorce.

Since this couple did not have any children, you would have thought that would make the divorce case easier or faster, but as with all divorce matters, each couple is different and circumstances can vary greatly.  In the end, the marital property was divided and one party ended up buying something new in Orleans.  With this Barnstable Probate & Family Court case, even though the couple did not have children, the divorce still took over a year to finalize. So, if you have a contested divorce, you really never know how long your case may take to conclude.

Another difference between practicing family law on Cape Cod versus closer to Boston is that the Court itself is much more pleasant to work with! For example, the Judges and clerks in the Barnstable Probate & Family Court are uniformly respected by attorneys. As attorneys, it is helpful in negotiating settlements when lawyers on both sides agree that the Judges will be fair and the clerks will be helpful during the litigation process.

How to Get Started

To start the process of filing for divorce or learning more about your divorce options, call the office of Heather Ward Law directly at (617) 903-8955 today or send us a message telling us more about how we can be of service. Our Cape Cod divorce lawyer will work hard for you.

Get a Free Consultation

Call Attorney Heather Ward today to find out how she can help you!

(617) 903-8955