Although you’re free to represent yourself during your divorce, there’s a good reason to hire knowledgeable legal counsel instead. Lawyers don’t just understand the family law statutes and cases that will govern your divorce but can ensure your rights are protected, save you money, and ultimately take away some of the stress inherent to family law matters. If you have a pending divorce, let Cohen Family Law explain how we can serve you.
Knowledge of the law and various rules
One of the most obvious reasons to hire a divorce attorney is to have someone with extensive knowledge of family law representing you. But divorce is more than just statutes and cases. There are also a number of rules which will be relevant. If you don’t understand these rules, you could inadvertently jeopardize your own case.
The rules of evidence are one example. You cannot simply present any piece of evidence you believe may help your case or hurt your spouse’s case. Evidence must first of all be relevant. And even relevant evidence has to follow a number of guidelines before it can be admissible in court. Without sufficient knowledge of the rules of evidence, you could allow the other spouse to introduce something that should not be allowed in court. Worse, you may end up failing to properly admit your own evidence.
There are also various procedure rules that divorcing spouses must follow. Family law cases have rules that concern giving notice to the other party, providing proof to the court that legal paperwork has been properly served, and much more. One particularly relevant subset of Family Law Procedure rules involves what is known as discovery. Discovery is the process by which the parties formally demand the production of relevant evidence and information from each other. You will likely need to send requests to the other spouse and you will probably receive requests as well. It is strongly advised that a lawyer assist you with this process because discovery rules can be complex.
Protecting your rights and interests
You don’t want to take steps that undermine your own rights and interests during your divorce. Take, for example, the division of marital property. Your lawyer will work hard to ensure that you are treated fairly in this process by including all marital property and debt for the court’s consideration. Another example is spousal maintenance (alimony). The other spouse may demand this but not be entitled to it under the law, or not be entitled to as much as he or she is seeking.
Divorce is more than just the termination of your marriage, and we will ensure your best interests and rights are protected throughout.
Representing you in mediation and facilitating communication
Many divorces can be resolved by using an out-of-court procedure known as mediation. During mediation, a neutral third party helps the spouses discuss and resolve all matters arising out of their divorce. Although mediation can save you substantial time and money versus going to court, you need to have legal counsel advocating for you because the mediator doesn’t represent either spouse. Cohen Family Law is experienced in representing spouses during their divorce mediation.
Lastly, there may come a time when you simply cannot communicate effectively with the other spouse. Your husband or wife may be hostile towards you or deliberately try to antagonize you during the divorce. Naturally, this can get under your skin, but it may cause you to react in ways you will later regret. Our office can facilitate communications with the other spouse and his or her attorney, reducing unnecessary stress in your life.
No Matter What Kind of Divorce You Have, We’re Here for You
Divorce is never easy, but having skilled legal counsel can make the process much less painful. Let Cohen Family Law explain how we can represent you and develop a strategy to achieve the most advantageous outcome. Call us today.
