A do it yourself divorce is a divorce you file on your own without an attorney. Filing a do it yourself divorce means you are filing pro se, which simply means representing yourself in court. A do it yourself divorce may benefit divorcing couples who wish to save both valuable time and money. It is best filed by couples who can agree on the major issues surrounding the divorce. Read on to find everything you need to know about do it yourself divorce.

Is A Do It Yourself Divorce Right For Me?

A do it yourself divorce may be a good option for you if your divorce will be uncontested and you and your spouse can come to a divorce agreement in a reasonably amicable manner. Do it yourself divorces are best in situations in which there are no minor children involved and there is very little, or no property to divide. The length of your marriage matters as well and generally do it yourself divorces work best when ending shorter marriages.

It is best to avoid filing for a divorce without an attorney if there are child custody, support, alimony, and significant asset issues to be resolved. If any of these very important issues are left unresolved you may be unable to obtain a fair and complete divorce. It is very important for you to find out if your spouse has a pension, retirement account, insurance or other significant property before you decide whether to file your own divorce. If you do not ask for such things during the divorce, you will forfeit them forever.

You should not attempt a do it yourself divorce if either spouse has a mental illness that would prevent him or her from being reasonably able to handle his/her own affairs. It is also inadvisable to attempt to handle your divorce without an attorney in cases in which there has been a history of mental, physical, or sexual abuse. You will not be able to negotiate effectively for yourself if you feel intimidated.