Unless you are quite familiar with matrimonial law, choosing to represent yourself in court over a divorce in a bad idea. If you’re at the beginning of your divorce process, you may be thinking about representing yourself instead of hiring a Divorce Attorney. Florida Residents have this misconception that you’ll end up saving time and money by doing so. If your marriage was very short, if both of you are committed to ending your marriage without a legal or financial battle, then you may be able to process your own divorce using a kit or online tools. However if you have children and other assets, or you want to receive alimony, you should really consider hiring an attorney.
Are You Knowledgeable in Legal Matters? Attorneys are.
In court, self-represented litigants are not given any special treatment, as judges hold these individuals to the same standards as the lawyer representing the otherside. Most judges are fairly patient people, but if you do not know the law, or do not know what documents you need, or even what to do next, you may be pushing the judge’s patience past the breaking point. If you do not want to hinder your chances of winning in court by representing yourself, hire the expertise of a divorce attorney. Florida residents who choose to represent themselves usually regret it because they can not handle all the pressure of the case and dealing with their spouse. No one is expected to go through the divorce process without the option of additional help.
Do You Like Doing Paperwork? Divorces have a lot of paperwork.
If you do not like the idea of filling out and filing forms, you should consider hiring some extra help for your case.Going through a divorce can feel like being buried alive under a mountain of paperwork to be filled out and filed with the court. Knowing which of these forms you will need for your unique situation can be challenging, and collecting all the information to complete them can be both difficult and tedious. Producing complete paperwork is crucial however. The judge will rely heavily on your documents (and those of your spouse) to decide the outcome of your case. That is one of the advantages of hiring a divorce attorney. Florida residents can use the skills of an attorney to get their paperwork filled out and filed correctly giving you the best chance of your divorce in court.
*Disclaimer: The views expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of Butash Law Group*
