Category: divorce

Divorce may be nasty at times but that does not mean that you need to spend a lot of money on a lawyer just to get what you want of the proceedings. Yes, the whole idea of divorce without a lawyer may not be popular in many states but in some states like California, couples can easily get a divorce without a lawyer. Now, if you happen to live in a state where divorce laws are stricter and the process divorcing your partner is a bit more complicated, not to worry. You can still get a divorce without a lawyer even in these states. To get you started in the right direction, here are some of the important things that you need to do to get a divorce without a lawyer.

Getting Started

The first thing that you need to do is to find out if your state allows divorce without a lawyer. If you or your spouse happens to be in active military service, you might want to forgo the idea of going through the divorce without a lawyer. You may not be aware of if but if you or your partner is presently serving the military, there some extra considerations that you need look into before you can divorce your partner. Remember that being in the military service entails a lot of paper works and if you are not careful, you could end up with a very messy divorce. To make sure that you get all these legal things sorted out, you might as well find a divorce lawyer who is an expert in divorce cases involving people in the military. This way, things will be less stressful for you and your partner.

On the other hand, if you or your partner is not serving the military and you both agree that your relationship is not going anywhere; you both would be better off getting a divorce without a lawyer. All you need to do is fill up the basic forms needed for the proceeding. You can get a list of all the legal forms that you need to accomplish and file in court both online and offline. You do not even have to go to court personally to file your petition for divorce. Most states all over the country nowadays accept petitions for divorce online. After filing your petition for divorce online, you will receive a notice of hearing from the judge’s clerk or from your local family court clerk.

Do you need to appear personally in court? Some states that advocate do-it-yourself divorce proceedings do not require the petitioners to come to court and face each other. If you and your spouse acknowledge the validity of the do-it-yourself divorce procedure, the court may not require you to go through the adversarial divorce procedure.

What You Need To Know About Hiring A Divorce Lawyer

Just because your spouse wants to get out of the marriage that does not mean that you need a divorce lawyer right away. Yes, you need to protect your interest in court if you have to but in “no-fault” states like California, you do not have to go through an adversarial process just to get a divorce. You can get a divorce without a lawyer easily. Instead of getting a divorce lawyer and pay a large amount of money, consider going through mediate and settle everything amicably. This way, you get to save a lot of money and at the same time spare yourself from the stress of going to court.

On other hand, if you happen to live is states where you are require going to court to get a divorce, you might as well hire the best divorce lawyer that you can find. To help you find a good lawyer, here are some tips for you.

Getting Started

Before you start hunting for a good divorce lawyer, you need to educate yourself on the divorce laws in your state. Do not be caught off guard when it comes to these things. Remember that some lawyers would happily charge you a lot of money on services that you do not really need. To save yourself from a lot of unnecessary expenses, you better know what you need to do to get a divorce. Don’t worry; you can easily all the information that you need regarding divorces laws both online and offline. If you choose to do your research online, try using the services of an online legal library. Most of these online legal libraries charge reasonable fees so you need not worry about spending too much money on your subscription fees.

Ask For Referrals From The State Bar Association

Although asking for referrals from friend and family members would help a lot when it comes to finding a good divorce lawyers, this process can be a bit stressful. You don’t really want your friends and family members to give you a lot of unsolicited advices when you ask them for referrals. To avoid the nagging and the sometimes adversarial interrogations as to why you need a divorce lawyer, forget about asking your friends and family members for referrals to a good divorce lawyer. Instead of asking them for referrals, call or email the office of the state bar association in your area.

Meet With The Divorce Lawyer Face To Face Before Hiring Him/Her

It is important for you to meet with the divorce lawyer before you hire his/her services. Remember that divorce can become nasty and you need someone whom you can trust to represent you in court. To make sure that you can trust your lawyer, interview him/her first and find out if he/she is worthy of your trust and confidence.