If you are interested in obtaining a divorce, you may have the temptation to file it using documents provided by the court or forms and other information from a website or book. Although taking the do-it-yourself approach to divorce may be justified in some cases, those cases are very rare. As a result, it is advisable for most people to hire an experienced family law attorney to adequately represent their interests for the following reasons.
Knowledgeable advice
Let’s face it, the law surrounding divorce is complicated. In New Jersey, the law does not automatically support a 50-50 division of property in most cases. What you are entitled to requires a consideration of many complex factors that an attorney is much better prepared to handle. Additionally, if there are substantial assets at stake, or child custody or support issues, not hiring an attorney often means that your interests will not be protected, which can result in an unfavorable outcome that you may have to live with for the rest of your life. Also, an attorney can advise you of all the options available to you that can achieve your goals (e.g. mediation), many of which you will likely would not consider otherwise.
Steering clear of mistakes
Simply put, the legal system is not very tolerant of mistakes. Unfortunately the stress of your divorce coupled with the complexity of the process can cause you to make serious mistakes. Since any mistake can later cause financial harm, an unfavorable ruling against you, or may require additional legal proceedings to correct (which can be expensive), it is better to have an attorney to help you throughout the process, so you get it right the first time.
Minimizing stress and paperwork
Divorce requires a lot of paperwork. Knowing what needs to be filed with the court and ensuring that it is filed on time and without errors, can be very difficult and tedious. Additionally, if you are employed or have other responsibilities, finding the significant amount of time that is required to do this can be challenging. If you add in the emotional stress that you will likely be under, effectively handling your own divorce becomes nearly impossible.
Although an attorney will require you to gather information, he or she will take care of almost everything else. This allows you to keep your focus where it belongs-taking care of your family and keeping your sanity during this emotionally charged process.
If you are considering divorce, contact the law offices of LaRocca, Hornik, Rosen, Greenberg & Patti LLC. Our attorneys can consider your goals and recommend the solutions that would be best for your unique situation.