When many people go through a divorce, they usually will retain the services of an experienced divorce attorney. However, you are not legally required to do so. You are technically allowed to represent yourself for your divorce whether you get divorced in court or through mediation. If you and your spouse choose to get a divorce by way of mediation, neither of you have to hire an attorney but you do have to hire a mediator.
There are many reasons that people choose to hire an attorney to represent them throughout their divorce. Most people who are going through a divorce have very little experience with a court and don’t have an understanding of the way the proceedings work. Divorce in itself is a very emotional and overwhelming time so a lot of people find comfort in obtaining an attorney to represent them. An experienced attorney can fight for you to get what assets you want and can guide you in the correct direction what to expect as far as spousal support, child support, and child custody arrangements.
The biggest obstacle in a divorce is to ensure that the division of assets process is fair. Many states, including New Jersey, use the equitable distribution process to divide the assets. Equitable does not mean equal so you should be aware that one spouse might walk away with more than the other spouse. Whichever direction you choose for a divorce, it is always good to know the rights that you have and what you are entitled to. You should not let your spouse take advantage of you in the divorce, especially if they have hired a divorce attorney but you chose not to.
Paris P. Eliades Law Firm, LLC serves Sussex, Morris, and Bergen County residents who face divorce and family law issues. If you need our quality legal services, contact our Sparta office for a free consultation.
