What Can Go Wrong in a Divorce Without a Lawyer?
Like most veteran divorce lawyers, I’ve seen many people try to handle a divorce without a lawyer – often to their own detriment. The excuses I frequently hear are:
- I’m too busy;
- We have only been married for just a short time;
- My spouse will treat me fairly;
- I don’t need to spend money for a lawyer
- I am too depressed to deal with it, and if I ignore it, I can fight it later if necessary; or
- My spouse will get everything anyway since I have been a lousy spouse.
Truthfully, all of these “excuses” are poor ones. Scheduling an appointment with an experienced divorce lawyer is not an expensive pro-active investment. Some lawyers even offer a free initial conference.
What will happen if you simply ignore the divorce filing?- The case will be set for a non-contested default hearing;
- Your spouse (and his/her divorce lawyer) will submit a Final Decree of Divorce for the Court’s approval;
- There will be little or no inquiry by the Judge if the facts are correct or the orders are fair or equitable;
- No one will protect or even really consider or care about your rights or interests.