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Word Count: 617 Hire Divorce Lawyer or Use Online Divorce Forms?
When do you need to hire a family law attorney and when is it okay to just
use an online divorce form website to save a little money? This article will
provide a few pointers to help you decide whether to do it yourself or retain a
divorce lawyer.
What Does it Mean to Use an Online Divorce Form Website?
Essentially, using an online form website in your divorce case means that you
will represent yourself and act as your own lawyer. All of the online divorce
form sites have disclaimers making it clear that they are not your lawyer and
are just preparing documents on your behalf. While it is your constitutional
right to act as your own lawyer, there are some significant risks involved that
should be evaluated before you take the online route.
Additionally, you have to evaluate the particular website you are dealing
with. Most are national sites that offer forms that they claim will work in any
state. However, every state has different laws. In other words, a California
Divorce Decree will not be identical to a Texas Divorce Decree because the laws
of the two states are not identical. So with an online divorce you are basically
getting a generic form that may or may not work in your jurisdiction.
What if You Have Children?
While many of the divorce form sites claim to offer forms that address the
necessary provisions regarding children (conservatorship, support, visitation,
etc.), it is very risky to use these generic forms when you have children. You
must remember that your divorce forms are being prepared using online software
that simply fills in the blanks with your answers to very simplistic yes/no or
multiple choice questions. These answers may not necessarily fit your situation
or you may not fully understand the question.
This is where a competent lawyer can make a big difference. A lawyer will
learn more about your situation and find out exactly what your documents need to
say, instead of just the boilerplate language that the divorce website's
software spits out. If you have children, you should take the safe route and
hire an experienced divorce lawyer.
What if You Own Property?
Many of the divorce form sites also claim to offer forms that will deal with
the most complex of property divisions. But when it comes to dividing any
property beyond personal effects (clothes, furniture, etc.), it is risky to rely
solely on generic divorce forms. If you or your spouse own real estate,
vehicles, 401k accounts or other retirement accounts, or have any other
financial assets or liabilities, an online divorce form will not necessarily
protect your interests.
A competent divorce lawyer would be able to, first, analyze your situation
and determine what property division is in your best interest, and second,
ensure that all the assets awarded to you were properly transferred and the
titles correctly recorded on your behalf.
Conclusion
Using an online divorce form always carries a certain amount of risk. If
there are no children from the marriage and no property to divide, then saving a
few hundred dollars may be worth the risk and the extra work you will have to
do. But for most people, especially those with children or property, it is
essential to hire an experienced divorce lawyer to handle their case.
Article Source: www.webraydian.com
About The Author
Scott Morgan has been a Houston divorce lawyer since 1994. His practice focuses
exclusivley on divorce and family law cases. You can find out more about Mr.
Morgan on his website,
http://www.houstondivorce.com
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