If you and your spouse have decided to divorce, you may already be exhausted thinking about the details you must attend to. If you have no children, you are likely working out the best way to divide your joint property. If children are involved, you may be fighting through emotions to ensure the best outcome for them.
Perhaps you are among the fortunate couples who feel their divorce will be amicable and simple. You may already be discussing some of the major sticking points, such as who gets the house and how to divide holidays with the children. Because of this, you may feel that hiring an attorney will just complicate things even further. However, you may be overlooking the important benefits of having a legal professional on your side.
How can an attorney benefit me during my divorce?
Of course, going through a divorce without an attorney will certainly save you money upfront. Likewise, there is always the risk that you will engage a lawyer who is keen on making adversaries out of spouses to prolong the divorce to increase billable hours. However, if you take the time to find the attorney who will work with you and for your best interests, you may gain the following benefits:
- Relief from the burden of researching Ohio divorce procedures to avoid missing crucial deadlines
- Protection of your fair property division, support obligations, and parenting rights under state law
- The unemotional perspective of an impartial party when making decisions
- An advocate who knows the procedures of the local courts and idiosyncrasies of judges and other attorneys
- Someone to skillfully handle paperwork and deadlines, especially those regarding disclosure of assets
- The support of someone who knows state laws and is current with recent changes in property division, support, and custody statutes
- More time to focus on your family because your attorney will handle the details
- A professional who has experience negotiating family law issues
This experience can benefit you whether your divorce will go through traditional litigation or through alternative dispute resolution, such as collaborative divorce. You may not be clear about your rights, and many going through a divorce do not realize they have not received a fair settlement until they begin to struggle in their post-divorce life.
If your spouse has hired an attorney, you may be at a disadvantage without your own legal counsel. However, even if you both agree to the details of a settlement, you would benefit from the review and advice of an attorney who can help you avoid signing an agreement that will leave you with regrets.