Why a DIY (Do It Yourself) Divorce May Be A Bad Idea

Going through a divorce is never easy, even if the split is considered amicable. With so many issues to be decided, including property division, child custody and support, spousal maintenance, and more, things can quickly become overwhelming for those who are not familiar with their state’s divorce laws or how the process works. Combined with the numerous emotional and financial burdens that come with a divorce, tackling all of these issues alone can become incredibly difficult.

Your role in the divorce process should be to provide all the information necessary for a satisfactory result to a qualified attorney. By having a lawyer by your side, you can have a professional who knows the ins and outs of the laws and the court system to guide you step by step through the process.

At Moskowitz Law Group, LLC we draw from decades of combined experience in divorce and family law to ensure clients don’t make costly mistakes, that their rights and interests are protected, and that they take the right steps toward securing the best possible outcome. Going at it alone may not be impossible, but it can surely make for a much more difficult and risky endeavor than if you had a seasoned lawyer in your corner.

DIY Divorce Can Put the Outcome at Risk

While taking on projects and seeing them through to completion can give you a sense of accomplishment, divorce might not be the most appropriate an area where you want to “do it yourself.” Even with the existence of websites and forms that can get you started, proceeding pro se (“on one’s own behalf”) in your divorce can have real risks.

Remember, lawyers are professionals who have trained and practiced in their area of focus in much the same way as doctors. Lawyers exist, just as doctors do, to provide help in areas where the average person has little to no experience, and which requires them to turn to someone with more knowledge for help. As attorneys, we have the knowledge to help address a wide range of issues related to divorce and family law, as it is our firm’s focus. When you handle a divorce on your own, you must remember that you don’t know what you don’t know – and there can be a lot of that in divorce cases.

Examples of some of the risks you might take during a DIY divorce include:

• Not understanding the laws governing all aspects of divorce
• Failing to follow proper procedures
• Jumping too quickly to an agreement or a decision
• Missing vital information in the case
• Not being able to argue or support your side of the story
• Not having enough time to devote to the case, especially if you have a job
• Obtaining an outcome not in your favor

A popular news source claims those who attempt to handle their divorce on their own run the risk of failing to follow proper procedure, which can result in the Judge never even hearing your side of the story. Other potential problems arise if you agree too quickly with your spouse’s attorney simply to reach a quick conclusion – you may later learn that what you got from the divorce is far less than what is considered fair. Moreover, if you think your soon-to-be ex-spouse’s attorney will help you when most of the issues are agreed upon, you are probably wrong!

Learn How a Hackensack Divorce Attorney Can Help You

Don’t risk the outcome of your divorce by trying to handle it all on your own. To talk about how a knowledgeable New Jersey divorce lawyer at Moskowitz Law Group, LLC can assist you, please call us at (201) 419-6223 to schedule a complimentary initial case evaluation. We have more than 50 years of combined experience assisting families throughout New Jersey.