There are many reasons to bring a marriage to its end. For some, it’s simply a natural part of a changing relationship. For others, there might be hard feelings or betrayals that make staying married impossible. Regardless of what causes the marriage to stop working, the only reasonable step for the couple to take is to divorce.
When most people think of divorce, they think of a process that involves lawyers. Many, though, do try to opt for a do-it-yourself kind of approach. If you’re considering a Self-Service divorce, you may want to consider the warnings of a Pleasanton CA family law attorney.
What is Divorce Self Service?
At its core, a self-service divorce is essentially a divorce without the services of a Pleasanton CA divorce attorney. This kind of divorce requires the party to come to a mutual agreement on how the divorce will proceed, with a total agreement on how to file the paperwork, split assets, and deal with any custody arrangement. This type of divorce procedure is most common among those who have a relatively amicable divorce and who do not want to pay for the services of a Pleasanton CA divorce lawyer.
The Dangers of Self Service Divorce
While choosing a self-service divorce might seem like a good choice for those who want to save money and who want to minimize the legal wrangling that’s perceived to be inherent in many other divorces, the truth is that you might run into significant problems if you choose to move forward with the aid of a divorce attorney in Pleasanton CA.
One of the biggest reasons to work with a divorce lawyer in Pleasanton CA is that he or she has significant experience dealing with the technical aspects of divorce. You’re not just working with this individual in order to punish your spouse or to win something for yourself; in many cases, you’re working with a lawyer because he or she knows how to file the necessary paperwork and how to deal with all of the technical details that are part of any court filing. When you choose to do things on your own, you run the risk of filing your paperwork incorrectly or creating an agreement that might not stand up to legal scrutiny.
It’s also important to remember that your choice to go it alone doesn’t mean that your former spouse will end up making the same choice. That puts the part without a lawyer at an extreme disadvantage, as he or she would no longer have the help of a professional to negotiate any kind of agreement. In fact, it’s very common for an overconfident party to forgo representation, only to find that he or she stands to lose everything because the other party decided to work with a competent lawyer.
Simply put, it’s dangerous to go forward with divorce self-service because you are not only unlikely to be a professional when it comes to court proceedings, but you have no professional distance from the divorce itself. You need someone who is willing to look over your shoulder and to fight with you should things come to that.
Getting the Help You Need
It’s always wise to work with an attorney even if you are planning to go through with a perfectly amicable divorce. A good lawyer will help you to make sure that all of your paperwork is done correctly, filed with the right people, and that all deadlines are met. If things get less than amicable, this attorney will also represent you and fight on your behalf. If you are going through a divorce, make sure to contact a Pleasanton Family Lawyer at the Tierney Law Group to get the representation that you deserve.
