Should You Represent Yourself In Your Divorce Case?
You have heard all the complaints from unhappily married people, usually after a few drinks, about how the only thing stopping them from getting a divorce is that they cannot afford to pay for it. You might even know people who have a bank account, or even a piggy bank, unbeknownst to their spouse, where they are saving up money in preparation for leaving their marriage. How many of the people who claim that lack of funds is the only thing stopping them from divorce really mean it, and how often are their rants just a front for indecision? Is it really that expensive to get divorced? Yes and no. No matter your financial situation, you are usually in a worse financial position shortly after your divorce than shortly before it. Meanwhile, not everyone who gets divorced pays all the costs for representation by lawyers. To find out whether you are a good candidate for representing yourself in a divorce case, contact a Boca Raton divorce lawyer.
Proceed at Your Own Risk While Representing Yourself in Family Court
You have the right to represent yourself or to hire a lawyer to represent you in family law court, whether you are seeking a divorce or trying to establish, enforce, or modify a parenting plan or child support order. You may contact the courthouse staff for advice about the administrative aspects of preparing and filing documents related to your divorce case, but they cannot give you legal advice. Hiring a lawyer is the best way to avoid costly mistakes in your divorce or child custody case. If you are sure that you cannot afford to hire a lawyer even though you need one, contact a legal aid office to find out which free services are available. If you are a survivor of domestic violence and have filed for a restraining order against your ex or estranged spouse, your case worker can advise you about finding affordable legal services.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Lawyer?
Family law attorneys usually charge an hourly rate, but the number of hours your lawyer will need to spend on your case is relatively small, unless your case goes to trial. Most divorces can be finalized without a trial, so don’t imagine that you will be paying your divorce lawyer for years to come. Likewise, if you have a much lower income than your spouse, you can request to have your spouse pay for your attorney’s fees. Your spouse might agree that this is the only logical option, for example, if you have been out of the workforce throughout your marriage, or the responsibility for attorneys’ fees could be one of the issues that the judge must decide.
Contact Schwartz | White About Paying for Your Divorce
A South Florida family law attorney can help you find the most affordable way to finalize your divorce, with or without going to trial. Contact Schwartz | White in Boca Raton, Florida about your case.
Source:
help.flcourts.org/Get-Started/Notice-About-Representing-Yourself
