 |
Do-It-Yourself DivorceToday, more and more women are representing themselves in divorce court. |
Women are doing this because they believe lawyers don't offer quality services or they can't afford lawyers' fees. Others believe their cases are simple and can be handled with legal information available online, at the courthouse or in print.
Filing a divorce and representing yourself in court without a lawyer is called pro se or in pro per. It's your right to file a pro se divorce, however, it isn't always in your best interest to do so. If your case involves complex issues such as child custody, support, alimony or the division of property, the risks of self-representation may outweigh the rewards. If, on the other hand, you and your husband have no children or property and alimony is not an issue, a pro se or do-it-yourself divorce can effectively and economically end your marriage.
If you choose to handle your own divorce, there are a wide variety of do-it-yourself resources available to assist you, including, but not limited to:
- Free state court divorce forms
- Divorce Laws Online
- Online Child Support Guidelines
- Child Support Calculators Online
These resources can explain your state's divorce requirements and help you handle your own case. These publications and services, however, usually only address typical divorce issues and may not provide sufficient information about issues unique to your case. Thus, even if you're representing yourself in divorce, it makes sense to consult a lawyer to ensure that you do not miss any important issues and that you completely understand your rights.
The Modern Woman's Divorce Guide has no relationship with the organizations; agencies or programs listed above and does not endorse their services. We provide these links for your information only.
