When Filing For Divorce Without A Lawyer Might Work

When a couple decides to divorce, it is fairly common for both spouses to hire lawyers, and the lawyers are hired to handle all the negotiations of the divorce. If you want a divorce and want to save money by not hiring lawyers, you could always consider completing the process without hiring attorneys. Here are three things to realize about this that will help you understand if this is the right option for you.

You Do Not Need Legal Counsel

Do-it-yourself divorces are commonly used when couples do not have complex situations. This is primarily because divorces can be hard, especially without legal counsel. Without legal counsel, you will not

• Have someone to call or talk to when you have questions.
• Have anyone explaining the steps to you.
• Know if you are getting a fair settlement.

If you can handle it alone, then you could talk to your spouse about getting divorced without attorneys. Keep in mind that if you do not understand the law relating to divorce, you may end up agreeing to things that cut yourself short. In other words, without a lawyer you may end up getting less out of the divorce proceedings than you could have. This can happen simply because you do not know your rights. If you have a lawyer working with you, you will have someone there helping you fight for what you are legally entitled to.  

You Do Not Have A Lot Of Joint Assets

Filing for divorce alone is not always the best option for couples, but it can work out fine if you do not have a lot of things to split up. For example, if this is your second marriage and you do not own a lot of things with your spouse, it might be easy to split up what you do have.

When a couple has a lot of joint assets and debts, finding a way to divide the assets and debts that will satisfy both spouses can be difficult. If mutual decisions cannot be agreed upon, the lawyers will have to find a way to settle the divisions. If the lawyers cannot do this, the decisions will be left up to the judge that handles the case.

You Have Very Little Money

The most common reason couples decide on do-it-yourself divorces is to save money. If you and your spouse do not have a lot of money and just want a divorce quickly, using a do-it-yourself divorce would be the most cost-effective method.

A standard divorce with lawyers can cost $10,000 or even more, while you may be able to get a divorce granted to you without attorneys for only $200. Every state is different, but all states require fees when divorce documents are filed with the court.

One factor to really think about before doing this is whether or not you and your spouse can work out the agreement alone. If you feel like there would be fighting and problems coming up with a way to split your assets and debts, filing for divorce without a lawyer would probably not be the best route to take.

If you are not sure what to do, but would like to find a way to get divorced for a reasonable price, you could always call a divorce lawyer to find out what your options are. While do-it-yourself divorces can work great for some couples, they are not the best option for others. Most couples need to hire lawyers to help them settle their cases. To learn more, contact a firm such as Grenadier, Starace, Duffett & Keisler, PC and schedule an appointment to discuss your situation.