What Happens If My Spouse Does Not Hire a Divorce Lawyer

 Posted on January 17, 2018 in Family Law

Often times, people opt out of hiring a divorce lawyer to represent them during their divorce in order to save money. If your spouse refrains from hiring a divorce lawyer, you may wonder how this will affect your case. Unfortunately, it can make your divorce more difficult in a number of ways. Here’s what you can expect if your spouse does not hire a divorce lawyer:

A Longer Divorce Process

If your spouse does not hire an attorney, they will be responsible for representing themselves while you have a lawyer to advocate for you and speak on your behalf. That being said, your lawyer will work directly with your spouse to communicate on issues related your divorce.

When this occurs, your spouse may take a long time responding to your lawyer and filling out legal documents because they do not understand divorce laws and will have to interpret the documents on their own. They will likely miss important deadlines as well.

Although there are resources that provide information about divorce, they are not a replacement for a lawyer who can give your spouse advice that is specific to their divorce. Also, while friends and family members may be able to inform your spouse about their experience with divorce, your spouse should understand that what worked for their friend or family member may not necessarily work for them as every situation is unique.

The combination of your spouse having to communicate with your lawyer directly, interpreting legal documents on their own and filling out documents incorrectly can prolong your divorce by a substantial amount of time.

Frustrating Court Appearances

When you go to court, your attorney will speak on your behalf while your spouse will speak for themself. Your lawyer will take the time to prepare you for court and inform you of what you can expect a judge to ask you. Since your spouse will not receive any preparation and advocate for themselves, they may say things that do not make sense and you do not agree with. You will have to remain silent during this time and may become frustrated in court as a result.

Contact a Highly Skilled DuPage County Divorce Attorney

If you are going to get a divorce, it is imperative that you have a divorce attorney by your side to represent you and ensure your rights are protected. Do not make the mistake of tackling the complex process of divorce on your own and reach out to the Hinsdale divorce attorneys at Martoccio & Martoccio. For a free case consultation, call us today at 630-920-8855.

Source:

http://www.divorcemag.com/articles/5-reasons-to-hire-a-divorce-lawyer