Although you are not legally required to have an attorney file for divorce, foregoing representation can often be a costly mistake. An experienced divorce attorney can provide guidance throughout the divorce proceeding process and can offer advice on how best to move forward into any arrangements such as alimony or child support.
Divorce will undoubtedly bring many changes in your life that may be stressful to cope with. Having an attorney by your side during this difficult time can help you better understand the ramifications of certain decisions. Many people do not know that their reaction to sudden changes during or preceding a divorce can have legal consequences. For example, if you decide to leave the marital home before a divorce is finalized, certain legal rights may be affected. It may make establishing custody of your children more difficult due to a potential housing situation. Leaving the marital home may also impact your chances of retaining the marital home in the divorce. The key is to consult a lawyer before you initiate a divorce so that you can best understand how to react and not do anything that you may come to regret later.
Furthermore, a divorce is a technical legal procedure that is often charged with emotion. You should be wary of “do-it-yourself” divorce guides because they often do not take into account the emotions of the two sides of a divorce. An experienced legal representative can provide non-emotional advice and help you take a rational and realistic viewpoint of the proceedings. Aside from the emotions involved, an experienced lawyer will be able to prepare your financial situation early in the process and guide you through each step of the process. By being prepared as early as possible, you greatly increase the chances that you will be able to achieve your desired goals.
Your legal counsel can advise you on matters pertaining to the custody of your children, obtaining and analyzing financial documents, ask you to take stock of the property you may own, the allocation of marital debt, dividing bank accounts, looking at your credit history, and determining individual incomes. While there are many additional important matters to consider in a divorce, these examples illustrate the complexity of filing for a divorce.
While it is not legally required to have an attorney to file for divorce it is rarely a good idea to proceed without representation. Without the skill and experience of an attorney it will often be more difficult to accomplish your desired outcome. A divorce is a life altering event. You owe it to yourself to minimize the chaos and disruption to your life by having an expert attorney see you through this difficult time.
If you are thinking about filing for divorce in New Jersey
I invite you to contact the legal team at Maselli Warren for a free consultation. They will meet with you and be able to explain the process and answer any additional questions that you may have.