Dissolution of Marriage: 5 reasons you should hire an experienced Divorce Attorney Highlands County FL

When a couple gets married, the spouses always hope that their union will last forever. However, this is not always the case. Disagreements and feuds may arise and force one or both parties to consider filing for a dissolution of marriage. After making the decision to dissolve the marriage, the first thing a person needs to do is hire a Divorce Attorney Highlands County FL to represent them.

The advantages of having a divorce attorney to represent you may differ depending on the divorce case its self.  The role of an attorney is very small in uncontested divorce cases however, If the divorce is contested by the other party, the divorce attorney will play a major role.

Why you need to hire an Attorney to Represent You

First of all, you and your spouse may not be speaking, so your lawyer can do all the talking on your behalf. These experienced legal professionals have the necessary expertise needed to ensure that a divorce case is concluded according to the wishes of the client.

Almost everybody knows what divorce is, but very few people know the actual procedure for divorcing a partner. Therefore, your attorney will help you understand the whole process, the requirements, what you will need to prove and the possible outcomes of the case. This will prepare you well for the proceedings.

Divorce can only be granted if the grounds for the dissolution of marriage meet the minimum requirements as set out in state law. After interviewing you, your lawyer will tell you about the basis or grounds for the divorce. He or she will then start collecting all the relevant details in order to strengthen the basis for the divorce.

It is actually the attorney, and not the client who initiates the process of divorce. Your lawyer will file complaints and summons in the family law court. The respondent (spouse) will then be served with a notice of divorce. Whether the respondent is in favor or against the motion, he or she will file a response in court to support or oppose it.

In both the contested or uncontested types of divorce, your attorney will help you resolve issues such as:

• Spousal support and alimony
• Child support
• Child custody
• Division of matrimonial property

Once all these issues have been resolved, you can honor your obligations, part ways and start life afresh. As you can see, the advantages of using a divorce attorney to represent you are many.

Should I hire an attorney to help with my Divorce?

If you’re at the beginning of your divorce process, you may be considering representing yourself instead of hiring a lawyer, thinking you’ll save time and money by doing so. If your marriage was very short, if both of you are committed to ending your marriage without a legal or financial battle, if you have no children or assets, and if neither of you wants or needs to receive spousal support (alimony) from the other, then you may be able to process your own divorce using online tools.

However, most people find divorce to be a complicated and confusing process, and they’re grateful to have an experienced family lawyer in highlands county Florida such as Lopez & Humphries P.A to help guide you through it. You’ll need to make a lot of decisions that will affect the rest of your life – at a time when emotions may overwhelm your ability to think clearly. So although not everyone needs a divorce lawyer, obtaining a good one is often in your best interests – especially if your divorce is complicated, contested, involves children, you have significant assets, or if your soon-to-be ex-spouse has hired a divorce lawyer.

Here are five reasons to consider hiring a divorce lawyer rather than representing yourself in court.

1. You are unfamiliar with matrimonial law and/or family courtIn court, self-represented litigants are not given any special treatment; judges hold them to the same standards as the lawyer for the other side. So it’s extremely unlikely that you’ll be able to adequately prepare to face the court process – and your spouse’s lawyer – by yourself. To make matters worse, you can jeopardize your entire case by saying or doing just one thing wrong.
   
2. You need objective advice at this emotional timeDivorce is an extremely emotional time for both spouses. You may experience feelings of sadness, betrayal, fear, depression, rage, confusion, and resignation – sometimes all on the same day! This level of heightened emotions, and the fact that you cannot possibly be objective about your case, will skew your judgement. If you’re thinking of representing yourself, you need to be aware that your emotional state may prevent you from making wise decisions about the future. As an objective third party, a family lawyer can keep a clear, level head and separate themselves from the emotional side of the case in order to work towards the best resolution for everyone involved. An experienced divorce attorney can let you know when you’re being unreasonable or are asking for something that’s more-or-less impossible.
   
3. A divorce Attorney can suggest legal options you didn’t know existedAn experienced family attorney can evaluate your situation and let you know the likely outcome if you take your case to court. Based on their experience with the judge and similar cases to yours, they’ll be able to offer a variety of legally-acceptable options to settle your case. If you and your spouse represent yourselves, you may agree on items that the judge will reject; when that happens, you’re causing more work and more delay for yourself, your spouse, the judge, and the court system. A lawyer will help you create a reasonable settlement proposal; if the proposal is coming from the other side, your lawyer will let you know whether to settle, make a counter-proposal, or fight it out in court.
   
4. PAPERWORK, PAPERWORK, PAPERWORKGoing through a dissolution of marriage can feel like you are being buried alive under a mountain of paperwork. Knowing which forms you’ll need for your specific case can be challenging, and collecting all the information to complete them can be both difficult and tedious. Using the wrong numbers on one form and the wrong tone or words on another could result in the judge perceiving you as careless or combative. If you omit something by mistake, the other side might accuse you of trying to hide information – which will damage your credibility and your case. A divorce lawyer knows how to fill out the paperwork properly and persuasively, increasing the chances that a judge will view your side of the argument favorably.
   
5. A divorce lawyer can help you focus on the “Ultimate Outcome”While you may be solely focused on “winning” the case, a family lawyer will concentrate on creating the best deal possible – which may mean helping you to compromise on some issues so that you can get more of your “must haves.” In divorce, a good deal is one where both sides gave up some of what they had hoped to gain, but both can live with the settlement – literally. Any good divorce lawyer will advise you not to fight over every issue, and they can help you set certain priorities so you end up with more of what you actually need – even if you have to give up some of what you want to achieve it.
   

Without an attorney on your side many of your rights could be violated. For these reasons we urge you to contact the attorneys at The Law Offices of Lopez and Humphries, P.A., experienced Family Law attorney in Highlands FL. We will explore ALL possible motions and defenses and aggressively fight for your rights. Call (863)-665-HELP for a free case evaluation.