why you need a lawyer for divorce bog

by Violet Blanda Sr. 8 min read

Consulting with a divorce lawyer can provide a wealth of information you may not have known. Representation from a divorce lawyer can ensure that the divorce settlement you receive will protect you now and well into the future, especially if your case involves property or children.May 20, 2011

Full Answer

An Attorney Can Help Explain Your Rights

It’s essential to know your rights when you are going through a divorce. For example, suppose there is an issue with assets or child custody.

An Attorney Will Handle the Legal Paperwork

When you are going through a divorce, then there is a lot of paperwork involved that most people do not know how to handle on their own.

An Attorney Can Assist With Court Appearances

Divorce agreements can go two different ways, which is why it’s essential to have an attorney who will be able to take care of any legal proceedings that may arise during this process.

They Can Make Sure You Get What You Deserve

Divorce is difficult for everyone involved, but it can be especially challenging when you feel like you aren’t getting what you deserve in the settlement.

Reduce Emotional Stress

Going through a divorce is tough no matter what, but an attorney can help make this process easier for you by taking care of everything professionally.

Helps in Coming up With an Agreement

Sometimes, emotions get so high during a divorce that it’s almost impossible to reach an agreement on your own.

What can a lawyer do for you?

A lawyer can make sure that your divorce settlement addresses every issue pertinent to your situation, both big and small. During a do-it-yourself divorce process, people often overlook issues like future college costs for children, tax issues, division of retirement assets, parenting plan contingencies, proper allocation of debts, and other concerns. A divorce lawyer will be able to identify and ensure that your divorce settlement addresses all the issues.

Can you do it yourself divorce?

Often, the " quickie" or cheap, do-it-yourself divorces you see advertised can result in a settlement agreement that you may not fully understand. If you've agreed to something unknowingly, divorce settlements and parenting plans can be difficult and expensive to modify after the divorce is final, and you'll end up having to hire a lawyer anyway.

The Steps, One by One

Do your research, ask around, and interview the right attorney for the job. Consultation appointments are usually complimentary, so take your time and find the right fit. Read reviews, talk to friends and colleagues you trust, and shop around. Make an appointment for a consultation. Go and take notes.

The Retainer

And when you decide that you need a lawyer, pay the retainer. The retainer is a lump sum the attorney requests up front in order to cover the initial expenses. A retainer is negotiable and fully refundable. Retainers vary based on individual lawyers, cities, counties, and often states.

Trust Yourself

Above and beyond all, trust that you’re making the right decision. It’s the right move in the direction you want to go, so even though you’re afraid, you’re going to be okay. It’s going to be okay. It’s this person’s job to look out for you.

Inform You of Your Rights

A divorce is a dissolution of a marriage and comes with many legal steps. One of the most important things a family divorce attorney can do for you is to inform you of your rights. The average person is typically not aware of their rights, especially if they have never been involved in prior legal proceedings.

Help You Stay Organized

When it comes to court cases, lots of documentation is needed. This can become confusing and overwhelming quickly. However, family court lawyers will be able to help you maintain organization when it comes to paperwork and documentation.

Take The Burden Off Your Shoulders

If you are in the middle of separating from your spouse, there are a lot of things going on all at one time, and often those are happening outside of the courtroom. It is important to manage your stress levels and your emotions during this time. Having to deal with legal proceedings can become bothersome and may create an unneeded burden.

Help to Manage Emotions

Family court lawyers are in no way therapists, but they can help you to keep calm while you are in the courtroom. This is especially helpful, as tensions can often run high in divorce cases. They can advise and coach you on being level-headed and are there to be your advocate, often speaking for you.

Keep You Informed Throughout the Entire Process

Let’s face it: court cases can be very confusing. Instead of being left in the dark, hire a family court lawyer to help shed some light on what exactly is being said in and out of the courtroom. You will feel more educated on terminology and have someone helping you navigate these uncertain times.

1. Reduce Stress

Battling through a divorce is prone to induce plenty of stress on you and your family. If you have children, they probably need you now more than ever. You also need to take proper care of yourself to avoid emotional breakdowns.

2. Legal Experience

All divorce cases vary based on many factors, such as the income of both spouses, the number of children, and both spouses’ desires. You need legal expertise to determine what will work best for your case. Do not apply legal strategies that worked in someone else’s divorce in your case, as this may prove disastrous.

3. Property Sharing

One of the hardest things to bear about a divorce is splitting your amassed assets throughout your marriage. According to Laurence J.

4. Avoid Mistakes

Due to the high levels of stress caused by divorce proceedings and lack of legal expertise, you may make very crucial mistakes that can cost you both financially and legally. Some mistakes could even jeopardize your child custody and deny you the chance to raise your child as you so desire.

5. Seal a Binding Agreement

Explaining yourself to the court may be very hard. This may further lead to the signing of a contract far from what you wanted for your divorce. To avoid such inconvenience, you may find it beneficial to file your divorce through your lawyer since they will know how best to phrase the contract and get you precisely what you desire.

6. Hasten the Process

Like all court cases, divorce proceedings may take a very long time. Filing out the proper forms and following them up during the entire process can be very difficult if you are not acquitted with the court proceedings and processes.

1. Paperwork

One of the main reasons to hire a divorce lawyer is the amount of paperwork involved. The divorce process can be extremely complicated in any situation, and the paperwork may be confusing. These documents must be filed correctly and accurately because the judge will use them to make decisions in court.

2. You and Your Spouse Cannot Come to Terms

While some divorce proceedings go well, others do not. This could be because of trauma, stress, abuse, and general disagreements. Overall, if you’re emotionally overwhelmed with the divorce process, including separation of possessions, child custody, and more, you’ll want to hire an attorney.

3. Quick Divorce

Many people want their divorce to be settled quickly so they can move on with their lives. If you want a speedy divorce, hiring a divorce lawyer may be a great idea.

4. Hard Decisions

Sometimes in divorces, there are hard decisions that have to be made, and you may not know what all of your options are. Having a divorce lawyer in your corner can help you identify options that work best for you. They’re there to answer all your questions and walk you through the decisions for which you see no answer.

5. Think Futuristically

When you’re wondering how to get a divorce, you’re probably not thinking of the future. You might be so caught up in what’s happening right now and don’t consider how things will look in a year or two.

Hiring A Divorce Attorney

Divorce is a complicated process, and even more so when you choose to do all the work on your own. Hiring a divorce attorney makes the most sense when you have little time and critical decisions to make.

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