You need a divorce. You go online or visit the local clerk of court, and procure a set of forms to do it yourself; after all, you are intelligent. You can fill them out and file them yourself. Maybe your divorce will be done quickly.
Not really. The forms look deceptively easy to fill out, but they can be tricky. After the 'marriage is irretrievably broken' part, what comes next?
Or, you have just been served with 'divorce papers' and you know you have to do something, but what? To respond appears easy - just fill in some blanks on some ready-made documents.
Not really. Those blanks are easily filled in with incorrect information, and those mistakes can set the stage for serious problems having lasting effects on your whole case.
Even simple errors during a do-it-yourself divorce can cause serious problems:
- Checking the wrong box, or failing to check any box at all
- Failing to file a required document, or filing the wrong document
- Listing income incorrectly on required financial affidavits, or using the wrong affidavit
- Using incorrect wording to describe a marital home or a proposed parenting plan
- Filing a document too late for the issues noted within it to be considered by the Court
The courts in Florida must treat pro se litigants - those who handle their case themselves - just like attorneys. You will be required to know the law, whether you do or not. Once the final judgment is entered in your case, it is over, and you may not get another chance to address outstanding issues.
At the law firm of Michelle A. Barry, P.A., we have seen the dangers of do-it-yourself divorce firsthand. We have fixed errors made by well-meaning people wanting to save money who were trying to speed up the process. More often than not, fixing these errors ended up costing more money and taking more time than the process would have, had it been done correctly from the start.
Lots of different jobs can be do-it-yourself projects. Divorce is not one of them. Divorce is one of the most life-changing events you can go through. Don't fall into the trap of thinking this is a job to do yourself just to try to save some money, when doing so could have negative results affecting the rest of your life.
You may be surprised at how economical it is to work with an experienced attorney. We will be happy to review your case, whether you are ready to begin the process or have just been served with process. Ensuring the proper filings are made can provide the protection you need as you begin to reconstruct your life.
Contact the law office of Michelle A. Barry, P.A., for your free consultation today.
