With any major life process, especially one concerning an institution such as marriage, there are bound to be collective popular notions about what happens throughout. This can make the divorce process more difficult in that divorcing spouses may come to the table convinced that the outcome can only go one way, and therefore they resign themselves to what they believe is a predetermined result. This cannot be further from the truth, so below are five of the most common misconceptions about divorce and a brief explanation about why they’re false.

It can probably go without saying that divorce can be a contentious process with strong emotions on all sides. When things heat up, it’s tempting to accept that a divorce can and should be all-out warfare in a courtroom, but is that really the best course of action for all involved? Does divorce (or any other family law issue) always require a fully adversarial process? In a word, no. Luckily, there is another option that is more cost-effective, less adversarial, and more often leads to positive outcomes – mediation. Below are four reasons why family law mediation might be the right choice for your family law issue.

Changing a child support order: It’s a relatively easy thing to get wrong, and it probably leads to more infighting between divorced former spouses than necessary. When is the right time to change a child support order? For an ex-spouse receiving child support, the answer might be any time the paying spouse gets an income boost. On the other hand, the paying spouse might protest that the only time to change the order is when she or he wins the lottery. Of course, they’d both be wrong, and the lines are fairly clear.

There are few times in your life that are more fraught with adversity and emotional consequences than the divorce process. It is a rocky enough process to attempt without the added strain of doing it without legal assistance. At the same time, choosing a divorce attorney comes with a different set of worries.  The first step in any divorce process should be a thoughtful and considered approach to hiring a legal professional to handle your case. I’ve assembled some tips below that should make the search for just the right attorney easier.