There are many potential pitfalls involved in filing a divorce without
an attorney. The first potential pitfall is in negotiating. If you
have monetary or property settlements to negotiate and your spouse is
manipulative, unfair, or has more knowledge of divorce law than you do.
you could end up getting the short end of the stick. If you feel
intimidated in any way by your spouse, you are more likely to agree to
things that are unfair to you without a lawyer.
Lawyers are trained to look over every detail and look for loopholes in
your divorce papers. If you file on your own you may miss an important
detail or leave room for a loophole that can cause problems later.
Divorce laws change rapidly. Related laws, such as laws concerning
pensions, taxes, and marital debts, consistently grow more complex. It
can be very difficult to stay abreast of the laws and any applicable
changes without a lawyer.
If you do decide to file your divorce without an attorney, it is a good
idea to have an attorney or at least an experienced paralegal, look
over your documents to help you to prevent making costly mistakes.
Another good way to get help and legal advice when filing for a divorce
without an attorney is to sign up with a prepaid legal program. Prepaid
legal programs offer unlimited advice from a lawyer in your state at a low
monthly cost. This advice can be valuable to you as you wade through
your state’s divorce laws.
Even if you decide against filing for a do it yourself divorce, the
many kits, forms, and books available can be a great help in getting
started. They can help you organize your vital information, consider
alternatives, and decide important issues.