When you’re going into a divorce, it’s often impossible to predict what the outcome will be. You could have the smoothest uncontested divorce of all time, or the process can drag out across months of heated arguing until both parties run out of money to pay their lawyers.
Since you can’t know the outcome when you initiate divorce proceedings, it’s often hard to decide whether or not to hire a divorce attorney. Couples often find more success the less they use the court system, but is that the case for you?
When to Get a Divorce Without a Divorce Attorney
Dividing up your assets and making decisions about your family may seem easier to do on your own, and sometimes it is. If you and your partner are on good terms, you can often work out issues like child custody, how property will be split, and what will happen to joint accounts on your own.
If you and your partner can pull this off, you can save your family from the strain of lengthy legal battles and heated arguments, which is especially important if kids are in the picture.
All you have to do once you’ve made your decisions is ask a court to grant your divorce. Many states won’t even require you to appear in person; you can just send the divorce papers. This is considered an uncontested divorce, and it can often be handled without minimal to no divorce advice from a lawyer.
When to Hire a Divorce Attorney
If there’s a problem with spousal or child abuse, it may be impossible for an abused spouse to negotiate crucial issues without the help and protection of an attorney. Lesser abuses like dishonesty and vindictiveness may also be good reasons to hire a lawyer to get you further along the divorce process, especially if you’re worried you won’t be able to negotiate as fiercely as you need to on your own.
It’s also a good idea to hire your own lawyer if your partner already has one. This will help you protect your interests when it comes to shared finances and child custody, and you won’t have to face down a professional attorney on your own.
If you’re concerned about any of these factors, consult divorce attorneys in your area and see what they can do to help.
