At Kales & Kales, we focus a sizable portion of our practice on low-cost, uncontested divorces. If you are wondering whether you need to hire a law firm or a lawyer to handle your case, consider the following:
People who handle their own cases are rarely viewed favorably by the court. Do not be surprised if you are not welcomed with open arms if you appear in court without an attorney. The judges and staff will expect you to follow the same procedures as lawyers, and rarely cut unrepresented individuals any slack.
- It is illegal for judges and court staff to give you advice or help you.
- If you hire an attorney, you do not even have to appear in court. The Commonwealth of Virginia allows final divorce orders to be granted without requiring any court appearance, if the party who filed the divorce is represented by an attorney.
- If you hire a lawyer, your divorce will probably go through without a hitch. An attorney will draft your settlement agreement, so it properly captures your intent, get the agreement to your spouse for signing, file all the necessary papers with the court, and take care of any issues that might come up in the process, so your divorce is completed efficiently and without difficulty.
- A lawyer will probably save you time and money. The idea that a lawyer may save you money may be difficult to believe, but for someone who does not do divorce work on a regular basis, it can take hours and hours just to figure out and complete the required paperwork. Add to that, time you have to take off, from work, to get the paperwork signed, copies made and filed with the Clerkâs office, as well as at least one court appearance