If you search online and ask the internet if you need a divorce attorney, you’re going to get several answers. The truth is that the state you’re in won’t require you to work with an attorney, but working with an attorney is smart if you want to protect yourself during a divorce.
Working with an attorney is one of the best ways to protect your interests during a divorce from your spouse because it is a complex and emotional process. Having someone on your side throughout that process can make your life much easier.
Do you need an attorney for every part of your divorce?
You do not necessarily need an attorney for all aspects of your divorce. For example, if you and your spouse are able to sit down together and decide on how you want to divide your property but cannot figure out how to divide child custody, then you may only need to work with your attorney on the disputed portion of your divorce and to be sure that you file your correct divorce paperwork.
It’s not a bad idea for you and your spouse to try to resolve your conflicts on your own. Once you both come up with what you think is a good solution, it’s advantageous for both of you to take the settlement to your own respective attorneys to go over it. Getting a second set of eyes on an agreement is wise before you decide to turn that agreement into the court just in case you missed anything important.
Even if your divorce is uncontested, it’s a good idea to have an attorney review the divorce documents and to make sure the agreement is such that the court is likely to approve it. Remember, even though you may come up with an agreeable solution, the court doesn’t necessarily need to approve the agreement you’ve made. You’ll save time and avoid any sudden surprises by making sure that you have gone through your divorce documents with a professional to be sure that they are legal, valid, and binding once the court reviews and approves them.