San Diego, CA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 08/16/2012 --Celebrity divorce can be messy, as can divorce for the general public. The Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes divorce has recently headlined celebrity news sites since the unexpected announcement of the divorce to the settlement reached in a speedy 12 days.

Here are three lessons learned from the fairly quick and savvy divorce:

#1: Where You File for Divorce Doesn't Affect Child Custody Settlements
"Courts begin their evaluation under the impression that balanced access to both parents is best for the children," says John Griffith of Griffith & Young, a San Diego divorce attorney. "If each parent offers a safe and stable environment for the children, there is a good chance for getting equally shared custodial time."

A mutual settlement was reached granting Holmes primary physical custody and allotting Cruise an apt amount of time with Suri.

#2: Don't Underestimate the Benefits of Prenuptial Agreements
"Prenuptial agreements can accelerate the divorce process, in the event that it does occur," says Griffith, a divorce lawyer in Oceanside.

In the case of Holmes and Cruise as shares Carlsbad divorce lawyer, they were able to focus more attention toward child custody with the distribution of assets already settled, thus arriving at a mutual agreement rather harmoniously.

#3: Agreements can Take Religious Views Into Account
Cruise is known for his devout Scientologist beliefs, adding a religious element to the divorce. According to TMZ.com, Holmes and Cruise reached an agreement that placed restrictions on certain topics of religion, including Scientology, that can be discussed with Suri.

Faith can be a sensitive subject, but family therapist Dr. Philip B. Dembo told Celebuzz he suggests that Cruise explain to his daughter that adults choose their faith and when she gets older she can learn about different beliefs and choose her own.

Many celebrities and fans are still surprised by the divorce. Holmes and Cruise had one of the smoothest and fastest divorces among celebrities; the public should note how they managed their divorce for future reference.

Learn More
If you want to know how to hire a San Diego divorce lawyer, visit http://www.SanDiego-Divorce-Law.com. To schedule your free initial consultation and case analysis, please call 858-345-1720.

About Griffith & Young
The divorce lawyers at Griffith & Young have extensive litigation experience in all areas of family law practice and California divorce law. Based in San Diego, Griffith & Young offers low flat fee services, a sliding hourly scale and military discounts.

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