Do You Really Need to Hire a Lawyer?
Posted on Feb 8, 2013 10:55am PST
Self-divorce is possible, but it isn’t practical. In fact, people who choose to get a divorce and don’t hire a lawyer typically get into trouble. If their spouse hires a lawyer, then that partner already has the upper hand because he or she will have professional representation in a court battle. When a person tries to handle his or her divorce alone, this is typically referred to as a “pro per” divorce. Over half of all divorces in the United States are “pro per” divorces, and in some states as many as 80 percent of all men and women choose this because they think it is a money-saving process. However they are oftentimes wrong.
Unfortunately, these “pro per” divorces often take years to finalize and there are often a variety of arguments which can’t be solved. In fact, it may be much less expensive to hire a professional lawyer who can get you the divorce that you want in short order rather than dragging along the process and paying expensive court fees as you try to sort through decisions and paperwork on your own. A mistake can set you back months in a divorce and complex financial decisions that may be messed up can result in devastating and difficult situations.
According to the Washington Times, divorcés shouldn’t just hire a divorce lawyer. Instead, they should take an extra step and hire a divorce financial planner and a psychologist to help with the different complications that come from obtaining a divorce. The collective efforts of the right professionals may be essential. You may also need to hire a mediator or make sure that you hire a lawyer who is qualified to mediate for you and your spouse if the court should require that. With the right representation on your side, you will be able to get the quick and satisfactory divorce that you need.