When you are navigating a family law dispute, certain elements of the process can prove to be overwhelming. Even with an experienced family law attorney navigating much of the process on your behalf, you likely must keep track of a mountain of paperwork, dates related to your legal proceedings, and other dispute-related tasks. As if divorce, child custody disputes, domestic violence cases, adoptions, and other family legal issues are not taxing enough already, most of these processes require you to stay highly organized.

In addition, the need to remain organized will not likely cease once your dispute has been largely resolved. If you are a domestic violence victim, you will need to carefully file away all related paperwork and come up with a plan of action if your abuser violates his or her order of protection. If you have recently divorced, you will need to track all financial information affected by the divorce for as long as your divorce settlement directly affects your finances.

Parents of children involved in child custody disputes often have the most need for an organized approach after their legal situations have been resolved. Parents often benefit from tracking financial information, travel arrangements, parenting time, and other related issues.

Failure to remain organized after your family law dispute is completed may make it much more difficult to bring others back into court should they fail to honor the court’s orders. It will also make it more difficult for you to gauge how your dispute is affecting your life into the future. Please, stay organized both during your dispute and afterwards, for your own benefit.

Source: The Huffington Post, “Divorce Warrior: Post-Apocalypse Survival Tips,” Terri Weiss, Feb. 24, 2014