There has been a significant rise in the number of people attempting to go it their own with the divorce process. Generally people make this decision with the hope of saving a significant amount of money on legal fees. However, there are also some major drawbacks to working without an attorney or mediator in the process that could limit or even eliminate those savings and cause more headaches than you’d have otherwise experienced.
Here are a few issues to consider.
- You do not get any advocacy: When you do not work with an attorney, you do not have anyone who can review your settlement agreements to make sure you are getting what you are entitled to. It becomes much easier to be taken advantage of if there are no legal experts analyzing your agreement and making sure it is equitable and fair.
- You are more likely to make mistakes: Beyond the actual decisions you make in the negotiation process, you are also more likely to experience mistakes with filing or other procedural matters that could damage your case and result in extra expenses. Working with an attorney ensures the process goes as smoothly as possible.
- It may take longer: There are some circumstances in which a DIY divorce could potentially save you time. But if you and your spouse are not on speaking terms or your spouse is unwilling to play fair, it will take you far longer to get through the process than if you had an attorney working with you who could compel your spouse to play along and take the necessary actions.
These are just a few examples of some of the reasons why you should avoid the temptation to do a DIY divorce and instead work with an attorney. For more information about the divorce process, contact an experienced Minnesota divorce lawyer at Appelhof, Pfeifer & Hart, P.A.