The Dangers of a Do-It-Yourself Divorce

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  1. Dangers of doing it you’re self

 

Sorry, but there is no substitute for the help of an experienced divorce professional.

A do-it-yourself divorce (going it alone with forms picked up at a courthouse or online) may seem like the least expensive alternative to asking for professional help.  But is there any reason to spend money on an experienced lawyer-mediator?  Yes, there is!

We have seen the damage of a bad do-it-yourself divorce firsthand!  Time and time again, we have been hired to fix the errors that were made by well-meaning people trying to save money by filling out forms themselves.  Unfortunately, fixing these errors often ends up costing much, much more than it would have cost to do it right in the first place.

Remember, Divorce Court is a Powerful Legal Institution

Divorces must be handled carefully to ensure that the parties involved get what they are seeking: a fair and permanent end to their marriage.  Unfortunately, simple errors during a do-it-yourself divorce can cause serious problems. We often see errors such as the following:

  • Placing a check mark in the wrong box on a vitally important court form.
  • Failing to file a legal document or to make an objection promptly resulting in a person losing a particular right – forever!
  • Failing to file a required document and erroneously believing the divorce is final when in fact there was no actual legally ending to the marriage. The court will not always keep you informed!
  • Neglecting important issues that are vital to you or your children like support, medical and life insurance, tax deductions, security for debts, transfers of title, college expenses, etc.
  • Even something as small as using a poorly chosen word can end up causing damage in your divorce that is difficult and expensive to correct.

Your do-it-yourself divorce paperwork is held to the same standards as that of experienced attorneys.

You will be required to know the law, whether or not you actually do.  Once the judgment is signed by a judge, the case is over!  Some mistakes cannot be corrected. You may be surprised at how cheap it is to work with an experienced attorney-mediator; dedicated to working out a settlement.