4 Reasons to Hire a Divorce Lawyer

Divorce can be an expensive and stressful and process, and it can become even more complicated if you try to mediate your divorce without help from an experienced legal team.

The main objective for a divorce attorney is to ensure you receive what you are entitled to in a divorce.  The majority of people going through a divorce are doing it for the first time, so it’s beneficial to have legal expertise on your side that can explain the process and help save you money.  Although it may seem cheaper to try to settle your divorce without paying for legal services, it can actually be more costly if things are done incorrectly.  Illinois Divorce Attorney Sean Sullivan provides commentary on the benefits of hiring a divorce attorney.

• Divorce attorneys have a wealth of knowledge – Although no two divorces are exactly the same, divorce attorneys have been through the process hundreds of times and know how to put your needs first.  There are a variety of motions that need to be filed with the court, and you won’t need to worry about missing a deadline or failing to file a motion if you hire a divorce attorney to take care of the paperwork for you.

“Some people think that they cannot afford to hire an attorney to handle their divorce, but the question may very well be, ‘can you afford not to?’”

• In cases of custody or abuse – Divorces become even more complicated when issues of custody or alleged abuse arise.  If you are determined to earn full or partial custody of your children, it’s best to hire an attorney to assist in the process.  Trying to tackle this matter by on your own can lead to added emotional stress and convey the wrong message during the custody process.  If you are accusing your spouse of verbal or physical abuse, an attorney can help protect your rights and safety.

“Emotional issues can be very painful during a divorce if you don’t have someone to lean on for support.  Always hire your own divorce lawyer and let them handle it from the beginning.”

• It can save you money – There is a common perception that going through a divorce without a lawyer will save you money in legal fees and court costs, but that is not always the case.  For example, if you fill out forms incorrectly or neglect to prepare for court, it can be more expensive to fix your mistakes.  Also, by not hiring an attorney you may be forced to miss work for court sessions.  Although you aren’t paying for an attorney, you miss out on earned income or may be forced to burn valuable personal days.

“Oftentimes it is more expensive to fix things that are done wrong than it is to pay for them to be done correctly in the first place.”

• They’ll make sure you don’t get swindled – One of the biggest reasons why you should hire a divorce attorney is because your soon-to-be-ex has hired one.  As mentioned above, the main goal of a divorce attorney is to get you everything you’re entitled to.  If one side is backed by legal expertise while the other is armed with only their “best guesses”, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see who is going to come out on top in the courtroom.

“If you simply rely on the advice or go with whatever your soon-to-be-ex’s lawyer suggests, you could end up paying more in legal fees in the long run.”