If you’re currently going through or considering going through a divorce, you already know that it can be a complicated and emotional process. One of the hard questions you’ll have to face is whether or not to hire a divorce attorney.
So, what are some reasons you should hire a divorce attorney?
Regardless of how much you and your soon-to-be-ex spouse seem to agree, divorce proceedings may end up becoming more complicated than they may seem at first. Some of the benefits of having a divorce attorney include having someone in your corner, access to legal advice, decreased levels of emotional influence, and someone who will help you fight for custody rights.
If you’re considering whether or not to hire a lawyer to help you through the divorce process, we have outlined below several reasons why you should hire a divorce attorney. Issues such as how to split assets, child custody, and objective communication and decision-making may all be better navigated by a divorce attorney. Read on to find out how.
Have Someone to Fight for You
Because emotions often run high in divorces, and you and your spouse may have grown used to sharing everything, the two of you may not always agree on how assets should be split. Even if your spouse seems agreeable, by hiring a divorce attorney, you can be sure that marital assets will be split fairly and that your rights will be protected.
Access to Legal Advice & Knowledge
Sometimes divorce proceedings are filled with complex details and legal jargon that you may find difficult to understand, and trying to navigate them on your own may lead to you proverbially shooting yourself in the foot. Having a lawyer present—someone who is knowledgeable about the law and what you are entitled to—can help you navigate these complicated situations. It’s similar to trying to put together a complicated piece of machinery with instructions that are in another language; you can try it on your own, but you’d be better off hiring someone fluent in that language to build it for you (or at least translate for you).
Decreased Stress & Emotion
Having a third-party, objective mediator to speak on your behalf is important to maintaining the integrity of the communication between you, your spouse, and their legal team. A lawyer can speak to your spouse (and their legal team, if necessary) on your behalf in a more professional manner, and they can advise you on how to speak to them directly in the case that you might need to.
Protect Your Custody Rights
Having children or animals can often make divorce cases messier than they need to be, especially since most parents want the same things for their children. Your spouse may want sole custody, or may request that you pay child support. If you believe your spouse to be an unfit caretaker, hiring a divorce attorney can help you to prove your case. Hiring a divorce lawyer can help to ensure that you get to keep as much custody of your child or children as you are capable of having, or make certain that your child support payments are not more than what you can afford.
Related Questions
Do I Need a Divorce Lawyer if We Agree On Everything?
What would you define as “everything”? Even if you and your spouse have already made decisions on the big things, such as the house, the car, or child custody, what will happen when you get down to something small? What about if your spouse suddenly changes their mind? Even if the two of you do fully agree on every small detail, a divorce attorney can still help you to draft up the agreement and handle all of the legal proceedings.
When Should I Get a Divorce Lawyer?
Although hiring a divorce attorney is always recommended, it is not always necessary. However, if your situation involves domestic violence, substance abuse, or sexual abuse, you should hire a divorce attorney immediately and communicate through your representative as much as possible. Additionally, you should hire a divorce lawyer the moment your partner hires one; otherwise, there may be a power imbalance present that will affect the outcome of the divorce.
What are Some Sneaky Divorce Tactics?
Hiring a divorce attorney can help to prevent your partner getting the upper hand over you by committing sneaky or unfair actions. However, it is always important to be informed and prepared for retaliation your spouse may take against you for filing for divorce. Some sneaky divorce tactics include attempting to draw out the proceedings as long as possible, unfairly spending marital assets before they’re divided, rushing the divorce, making false accusations (such as accusing you of drug abuse or child neglect), lying to children, and resisting communication. Having a divorce attorney present can help you to position yourself in a way that proves your innocence and ensures a fair solution to the entire affair.
Summary
To conclude, hiring a divorce attorney is not always necessary, but it is always recommended if you want to ensure a fair, objective outcome to the entire process. A divorce attorney can make sure that you understand everything, that your rights are upheld, and that your spouse doesn’t get away with any kind of sneaky behavior. Even if your spouse’s character has been upstanding throughout your relationship, you never know how someone may react or change in the heat of emotion that may follow being served divorce papers. Opt to hire a divorce attorney to make sure that there is always someone with legal knowledge in your corner.
If you have questions, our Divorce and Family Law Offices in Jackson have the advice, guidance, and family law expertise to help. You are not alone, our divorce attorneys are standing by to help you with your case beginning with a Free Consultation and get you started on a new beginning.