Discovery sounds expensive and time consuming, is it necessary?
In divorces, it is common for people to be distrustful of one another. Often, the distrust is warranted. The discovery process is the most effective way to uncover hidden assets and to establish if the other side is trustworthy. If the discovery process does not uncover hidden assets, or lies the other side has told, then the parties are more likely to participate in settlement discussions. On the other hand, finding omitted assets and catching the other side in lies provides good information for the trial. Remember, the judge knows very little about you or your spouse, and a substantial portion of the judge’s decision is based on how believable the parties are. Judges are reluctant to reward liars or people who have attempted to hide assets. So, the discovery process can be an invaluable tool – to establish either good faith or deceit by your spouse.
