20 Smart Tips to Get Through Your Divorce Hearing with Ease

If the thought of going to a divorce hearing terrifies you, you’re not alone. Divorce court is terrifying – not only because it’s completely different than anything you’ve ever experienced before, but also because you have so much at stake. Actually, you have everything at stake.

If you want to make it through your divorce hearing successfully, you can’t waltz into it without first understanding how divorce court works.  If you expect a real divorce courtroom to be anything like what you see on T.V., you’re going to be sorely disappointed. You’re also likely to be wildly unprepared.

Unfortunately, being unprepared in divorce court is never a good thing.

What’s the Difference Between a Divorce Hearing and a Trial?

Before you can start to get yourself ready to go through your divorce hearing, you first have to understand exactly what a divorce hearing is.

Strictly speaking, a divorce hearing is a court proceeding at which a judge takes evidence and makes a decision about some issue in your divorce. The “evidence” may be in the form of written documents, or digital records (like email). Or it may be actual testimony from you, your spouse, or another witness.

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(NOTE: Your final divorce judgment usually (but not always) will replace every temporary ruling the judge made in your divorce. To avoid any confusion, you should definitely talk to your divorce lawyer about what will happen to any temporary court orders that were entered while your divorce was pending!)

Typical Divorce Court Hearing Issues

Divorce court hearings can be held on a variety of different issues. Some of these issues are:

1. Temporary Custody (in Illinois this would be a Temporary Allocation of Parental Responsibilities);
2. Temporary Child Support;
3. Contribution to a Spouse's Divorce Attorney's Fees;
4. Temporary Spousal Support;
5. Discovery Disputes;
6. Issues Surrounding Your Home (i.e. Who Gets To Live In It And Who Pays For It While The Divorce Is Pending):
7. Protective Orders;
8. Contempt of Court for Not Following Court Orders;
9. Temporary Restraining Orders; and
10. Other issues that need to be decided before trial to move your case forward.

The way that a divorce hearing is conducted to resolve those issues, depends a lot on where you live, and how the court system in your area operates. Even still, most hearings are conducted in a fairly similar way.

What Happens in a Divorce Hearing (in General)

The divorce courtroom that you walk into may have paneled walls, impressive furniture, and a white-haired judge who looks like he’s straight out of a Hollywood movie. But, it probably won’t. 

Real courtrooms can be beautiful. But many of them are old, outdated and seriously cramped for space. Real divorce judges come in every size, shape, gender, and age.

The way that your divorce hearing will be conducted varies depending upon where you live, and how your particular court system operates. Some divorce court systems use hearing officers to handle preliminary matters.  Others only use judges: your divorce judge conducts every hearing him/herself.

Regardless of who rules on your case, most divorce hearings proceed in a very similar way. The clerk calls your case. You, your lawyer, your spouse, and your spouse’s lawyer then either all step up to the judge’s bench, or you sit at tables in the courtroom while the hearing proceeds.

The lawyers will do most of the talking at the hearing. You may or may not be asked to testify during the trial. If you are, you will have to swear to tell the truth before you testify. (Yes, this part really is like TV!)

The lawyers will argue your case for you. If you don’t have a lawyer, you will have to argue your case yourself. That is NOT a great idea, but if you have no lawyer, you have no choice.

After the hearing is over, the judge will issue a ruling (decision) on the issues presented. That ruling generally (but not always) stays in place until the end of your divorce.

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How to Get Through Your Divorce Hearing with Ease

If you want to get through your divorce court hearing successfully, you must be prepared. That preparation starts with knowing how to physically get to the right courtroom at the right time.  (If you’ve never been to court before, it’s not as easy as you might think!)

It also includes knowing what to expect in the divorce hearing itself, and how to conduct yourself appropriately.

Here are some of the things you need to know.

20 Tips to Help You Prepare For (and Get Through) Your Divorce Hearing

 1.     Be Smart About What You Take With You To Court.

 Most (if not all) courts require you to go through a metal detector before you get into the building. That means that you are not going to be allowed to carry in guns, knives, explosives, and other dangerous weapons into the building. (I once got stopped for carrying in a pair of scissors ... and I’m a lawyer!)

You also won't be able to take in coffee, tea, or liquids. In some courthouses, you can't bring cameras to court. (That means that if your cell phone has a camera in it [and whose doesn't?!] you'll have to leave it in the car or you won't be allowed in the courthouse. So, ask your attorney, or check out the court’s website, about what you are permitted to bring into court before you go there. )

The bottom line is: if you couldn’t get through an airport carrying something, you probably won’t be able to get into a courthouse with it, either.

 2.     Know the Court Rules about Cell Phones, Cameras, etc., BEFORE you go to Court.

Most judges won’t let you use cell phones in court. No judge will let you take pictures or record anything in court. All judges will get testy if your cell phone goes off in court.

So, if you do nothing else before you walk into a courtroom: TURN YOUR CELL PHONE OFF!

Also, if you have to use your cell phone while you are in the courthouse, only make calls when you're outside the courtroom. Also, be aware when you're in court you are in a public place. ANYONE can listen to your conversation. So, unless it's urgent, having a conversation with anyone while you're in court is generally not a great idea.

3. Get to Court Early.

You can never know how long it is going to take you to get through security and into your courtroom.  Unfortunately, when you're supposed to be in court at a certain time, that's the time you need to be IN THE COURTROOM. Just being "in the courthouse" at the designated time doesn't count.

What’s more, sometimes court rooms get changed. (If one judge is sick, all of the cases on his/her call may be transferred to another judge that day.) That means you may have to play “musical courtrooms.”

Since you don’t know where you’re going, and because judges don’t like it when you’re late, do yourself a favor and get to court early.

4. Expect to Wait.

Just because you get to court early doesn’t mean that your case will be heard right away. 

Unless your case has been specially set for a hearing at a time when no other case is scheduled (which is rare) there will be LOTS of other cases set for hearing at the exact same time as yours. The judge may go through all of the cases that just need status dates or quick decisions first, and then do the hearings. Or, the judge may go through each case in the order listed on the court call.

The precise time that your case is called will depend on how your judge manages his/her court call. So don’t assume that you will get out of court in anything less than a half-day ... ever.

5. Dress Appropriately for Court. 

When you go to court you need to show a little respect. Showing respect starts by dressing appropriately for court.

Your clothes should be neat, clean and pressed. Don’t wear anything provocative or weird. If you have a bunch of tattoos and piercings, cover them up. (Yes, you have the right to express yourself through what you wear. And, of course, the judge is supposed to decide your case based upon what you say and do, not what you wear. But judges are human too! Be smart.)

When in doubt, dress like you would if you were going to church with your grandmother. If grandma would approve of your attire, chances are the judge will too!

6. Don’t Be Surprised if Your Case Gets Continued.

Hearings and trials get continued all the time. So even though you need to be prepared for your hearing IN CASE it happens, you also can't let yourself get too upset if it doesn't happen. (Sorry!)

Even if your case has been set for a hearing on a particular date and time, that doesn’t mean that the hearing will really take place. 

Court calls, like airlines, are always overbooked. Most of the time, enough cases fold that the judge actually has time to hear the cases that need hearings. But sometimes, everything that was set to go actually goes. If no other judge is available to pinch-hit, some cases get bumped.

(Yes, that sucks. But that’s just the way the system works.)

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7. Hearings are Time-Limited.

Just because you may want to spend a lot of time presenting the judge with all of the facts you think are important in your divorce, that doesn't mean the judge will GIVE YOU a lot of time to do so. Judges usually only allot a certain period of time for hearings. Your divorce hearing may get an hour or two. Or it may get a half-hour or less.

Occasionally, divorce hearings may be conducted for days. But that’s rare. So it’s critical that your lawyer presents the most important, relevant evidence and law in a very short time.

The exact evidence and arguments that will be the most important in your case will depend upon the issues you are presenting to the court. Your lawyer will know what documentation you will need to prove your case.

Make sure to check with your divorce lawyer in advance so that you bring all of the documentation you need when you go to court.

8. Not Everything You Care About is Legally Significant. 

When you are going through a divorce and your heart is like a throbbing piece of raw meat, it’s easy to over-react to the stupid things your spouse does. When that happens, you will be tempted to call your lawyer in a panic, demanding that you go to court immediately!

The problem is that a lot of things that you find to be completely unacceptable have absolutely no legal significance. So either your lawyer will try to talk you out of running to the judge about those issues, or s/he will let you run up your legal bill going to court for hearings you are almost guaranteed to lose.

Either way, it will seem to you that your spouse is “getting away” with all kinds of craziness.  Maybe s/he is. But, if you’re smart, you will pick your battles wisely and only go to court when you have no choice.

9. The Judge May Try to Resolve Your Issue Without a Hearing.

Judges like to settle issues without a hearing. While that may seem counter-intuitive, the truth is that judges are busy! Settling issues is usually quicker than holding a hearing about them. So many judges will try to settle your issues before your lawyers dive into a full-blown hearing.

If the judge tries to help you settle whatever issue you were going to be presenting to the court, you may be asked to compromise. So think about what you would/would not be willing to compromise on BEFORE you go to court!

While compromising might not be what you want to do, settling on your own will give you much more certainty and control over what happens in your divorce. For that reason, settling is almost always our best choice (unless your spouse is being completely unreasonable).

At the same time, settlement conferences take time. So, if the judge holds a settlement conference, and you don’t settle your issues, you may not have time to finish your hearing. In that case, you will have to come back to court for your divorce hearing again.

10. Understand That The Lawyers and the Judge are Colleagues.

It can be unnerving when you are in court and you hear your lawyer and your spouse’s lawyer laughing with the judge behind closed doors (or even in open court!).  It seems disrespectful to you and to what you’re going through. 

What you may not realize is that the lawyers and the judges work together all the time. They may not be “friends,” but they probably have had many cases together. They know each other.

That’s actually a good thing.

If your lawyer and your spouse’s lawyer hate each other, they will fight tooth and nail over every little thing. Meanwhile, YOU will pay for that fight. You don’t need that.

So when you see or hear the lawyers laughing while you are desperately trying not to fall apart in the middle of the courtroom, don’t take it personally. Really, it’s not about you.

11. Real Court is Not Like TV.

Going to court is one of the most stressful yet anti-climactic events you will ever experience. 

The lawyers and the judge speak in a language you only sort of understand. Most of the time, you don’t get to talk. You never get to tell your whole story. A lot of the time, you’re not even sure what’s going on. Then, suddenly, the entire hearing is over and the clerk is calling the next case!

The end result is that, even if you “win” your hearing, you’re probably going to leave the courtroom feeling empty and confused. Of course, if you lose, you’ll not only be confused. You'll be angry too. While that sucks, it will suck less if you're prepared for it.

12. Be Prepared to See (and Maybe Sit Next to) Your Spouse. 

It’s one thing to know in your head that you will see your spouse in court. It’s quite another to be sitting next to him or her right before you are about to be locked in battle over some issue that you find enormously upsetting. 

If you can get to court early and find a spot that’s far away from your STBX, that can help.

Meanwhile, do your best to keep your cool. It also helps if you interact with your spouse as little as possible while you are in court.

13. Do Your Best Not to React Emotionally During the Hearing.

When your spouse (or your spouse’s lawyer) is talking in court, control yourself!

Don’t roll your eyes, sigh, or interrupt and scream, “That’s not true!” 

Your credibility and demeanor are important. If the judge feels that you are being disruptive or disrespectful the judge will weigh that against you. (Sorry! But forewarned is forearmed!)

If you feel that your spouse is lying, quietly pass a note to your lawyer telling him/her exactly what is untrue.  Your lawyer can cross-examine your spouse at the appropriate time.

Finally, wait until it’s your turn to talk. Remember, your hearing time is limited. The more you interrupt, the more time you waste.

14. If You Testify, Stay on Point. 

When you finally get a chance to testify, you may get the urge to tell the judge everything.

Don’t do it!

Launching into a long-winded story filled with irrelevant details will either bore or aggravate the judge. Remember, you don’t have all day to tell your story!

Only answer the questions that you are asked. Keep your answers short. Don’t volunteer information.

While you may not get the emotional satisfaction of having been able to “tell your story,” you probably will present a much more legally compelling case.

15. Don’t Make Stuff Up! 

When someone asks us a question we don’t know the answer to, many times we give that person the answer we think they want to hear. It's just human nature.

We don’t mean to lie.  We just don’t want to disappoint the questioner. So, we guess at what we think the answer “should” be, even when we don’t have the foggiest idea of what the answer is.

Don’t do that when you’re testifying!

If someone asks you a question and you don’t know the answer, say, “I don’t know.” If you’re nervous and can’t recall something, admit, “I can’t recall that.”

Finally, if you don’t understand the question, say, “I don’t understand what you’re asking.” Never, ever make up an answer. Period.

16. Answer the Question.

When a lawyer asks you a question, answer it!

Don’t play dumb! Don’t beat around the bush and pretend you don’t understand something that is patently obvious.

Your credibility is an important element of your case. If the judge doesn’t believe a thing you say, you’re toast.

So, don’t try to be smart and avoid answering tough questions.

It’s much better to admit the truth, even when it’s hard. In the long run, that will get you much farther than pretending that the only thing you can remember when you’re on the witness stand is your name.

17. Don’t Argue With Your Spouse’s Lawyer.

When your spouse’s lawyer is trying to make you look bad, it’s natural to want to defend yourself.

That’s exactly what your spouse’s lawyer is counting on.

S/he is trying to make you lose your cool. S/he WANTS you to get upset and argue with him/her. When you do, you’re more likely to say things that you'll later regret.

When you're emotional, you’re also much more likely to blurt out information you would never have otherwise disclosed. You may actually give your spouse's lawyer information that s/he could NEVER have gotten out in front of the judge in any other way.

That's bad ... and it's dumb!

So, when you are testifying in court, NEVER argue with your spouse's attorney - even if s/he is wrong! Let your attorney handle your spouse's attorney. You will do best if you keep your cool.

18. The Judge (or Hearing Officer) Will Make a Decision Based Upon the Evidence Presented.

Hearings are always based on limited information.

Judges (and hearing officers) can only decide cases based upon the law and the evidence presented to them. If certain evidence is not presented at the hearing, it doesn’t count.

The problem is that, since you only have a limited time to present evidence, it’s almost impossible to get everything put before the judge in the limited time allotted to you. So the judge is rarely making a decision based on EVERYTHING you'd like him/her to know.

Yes. That sucks. And, no, it might not be fair. But that's the way the system works. So KNOW that before you go to court!

(That’s why settling your case is usually smarter than letting the judge decide it.  Rarely, if ever, do you get to tell the judge your entire story.)

19. Losing a Hearing Hurts, But It’s Not the End of the World.

Temporary court orders are exactly what they sound like – temporary. But that doesn't mean they're not important.

Hearings on issues like child custody (i.e. decision-making responsibility) and parenting time arrangements can dramatically affect your life, and your kids' lives, for as long as your divorce is pending. What's more, once a parenting schedule has been set, it can become set in stone.

That's why it's so important to put your best foot forward and be totally prepared for every court hearing that happens. That's also why settling out of court makes so much sense. Once the judge has ruled, you have to live with that ruling whether you like it or not!

(NOTE: If the judge has issued a ruling you disagree with, you may have another chance to present your arguments at trial. (But don't count on it!) Plus, even if the judge DOES grant you a re-hearing (which is rare) s/he may make a different ruling. Or you may lose again.)

20. The Judge’s Ruling at a Hearing Usually Stands Until Your Divorce is Over.

Once you’ve had your hearing and the judge has ruled, you will have to live with the judge’s decision for some length of time – usually until your case is tried or resolved.

Of course, like everything else in the law, that “rule” isn’t absolute. Sometimes you can get the judge to reconsider his/her ruling. Sometimes circumstances change so the ruling can be changed.

Still other times the judge will include a time limit within his/her ruling (e.g. the judge may order you to pay spousal support for x months, after which time the judge will revisit the issue).

But, most of the time, once the judge has ruled on an issue, the proverbial "horse" is out of the barn. If the horse has run in a direction you don't want it to go, that can really hurt!

Getting Through Your Divorce Hearing With Ease 

Let’s be honest. There is nothing “easy” about going to divorce court. Divorce hearings are stressful and full of uncertainty. But, if you’re careful, and you prepare well, you can get through them successfully.

That doesn’t mean that you are guaranteed to win every hearing you have. Even if you have the best lawyer on the planet, that just doesn’t happen.

But, if you understand how divorce hearings work, and you take these tips to heart, you stand a much better chance of getting through your divorce court hearing with confidence and maybe even a little bit of class.

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Another thing that can help you understand what you need in your divorce, as well as your divorce hearing, is a checklist. (HINT: Lawyers use them all the time!)

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