It's tempting for two people ending a marriage peacefully to think they don't need to get divorce lawyers involved with the process. However, there are many strong reasons to have counsel no matter how amicably you expect the divorce to be. This blog examines five ways people might benefit from an attorney's advice even in the simplest and friendliest divorces.

Small Differences Matter

Two people who are trying to be as well-intentioned as possible may not see the relevance of little details. While it's great to be accommodating, what happens if, for example, the child custody agreement they reach causes headaches five years down the road when one parent needs to move out of state? Seemingly tiny issues may not become major problems until something specific happens. Divorce lawyers try to think about these scenarios to reduce the odds they'll blow up later.

There's Still a Lawsuit

Even the friendliest divorce is still legally a lawsuit. One person will have to sue, and that means there are processes and paperwork. One of the two divorce lawyers will have to walk point on drafting and delivering the paperwork to the two parties. Eventually, they'll also have to submit the petition to the appropriate family court. You don't want the process to be gummed up because some small detail wasn't right due to no lawyers being involved.

Conferences

These are the sessions the two parties will conduct to hash things out. Organized meetings can be beneficial because they allow everyone to stay on task. Divorce lawyers have checklists they work through, and that will make it easier to confirm that you've gone over all of the important items. When all the details are ironed out, the two sides can sign everything after a thorough review by their attorneys.

Counsel for Both

You might think you can save a few dollars by just letting your ex hire a lawyer. After all, they can draft everything and you can sign.

However, whoever has an attorney also has the legal expectation that that lawyer will be solely their counsel. It is the lawyer's job to zealously represent their client's interests and rights, and that means they must put their client first. You should have the same expectation for zealous counsel, and that means you should get a lawyer of your own.

Potential Conflicts

Ideally, everything goes smoothly and you agree to a completely workable divorce. The world isn't ideal, however, and some disputes don't show up until you dig into things like custody, support, and the division of assets and debts. Don't be caught off guard. Hire a lawyer.

Contact divorce lawyers in your area to learn more.

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