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Beyond the emotional challenges of divorce, it comes with two people trying to untangle their lives from one another. You two may share children, property, and debt. If you relied on your former spouse for income, then you need to figure out how you will financially survive in the future.
Luckily, no one expects you to face this alone. Your friends, family, and mental health professionals can assist you through some of the emotional challenges. Your attorney will work through the legal aspects of alimony, child custody, child support, and the division of property.
People may feel an incredible amount of relief when these issues are resolved. You and your spouse will negotiate through your attorneys. Now imagine your soon-to-be former spouse agrees to terms regarding the topics mentioned above.
But what happens if you choose to get divorced without an attorney? In Washington, you will have to wait for a minimum of 90 days between the time you serve the petition and enter into final orders. Imagine that you and your spouse arrived at terms on your own. What happens when they back out on day 89?
The Risks of Not Having An Attorney
If your spouse backs out of your agreement before getting a final divorce order from a judge, this could end up being one problem of many.
Regarding your alimony, child custody/support, and division of assets, how sure are you of your rights and responsibilities? Did you receive everything you were entitled to? Are you aware of what needs to be done financially? Lastly, are you confident that you can walk away as two separate people based on the terms you have drawn up?
Had your spouse not backed out of your agreement, a judge still would have needed to sign off on your divorce. If your agreement violated someone’s rights—intentionally or otherwise—then it would not have gone through.
See It As A New Opportunity
As badly as you may want to be divorced, take the time to do it right. It is significantly harder to change something after the divorce has been finalized. Meet with an attorney who will approach your divorce with your interests in mind.
Secondly, you may have obligations after your divorce. The easiest obligation to miss is the one you were unaware of. If you and your former spouse choose to pursue a divorce without representation, take the chance to strongly reconsider your choice. You may have a renewed sense of confidence regarding your divorce if an attorney can assist you.
Zafiro Law
At Zafiro Law, we balance out fighting for our clients’ rights because it’s a way to achieve peace of mind. If you are going through a divorce, contact Zafiro Law to schedule a consultation. Let us work through the legal aspects surrounding child custody and property division with your best interest in mind.
