To learn more about the reasons why you shouldn’t handle your divorce on your own, continue reading and reach out to our skilled Monmouth County divorce & separation attorneys.
Custody disagreements require qualified family law legal representation.
If you and your spouse are battling over custody arrangements, you should be mindful of the mistakes that are often made when pro see litigants are trying to overcome custody battles. These mistakes include the following:
- Not taking into account the meaning of sole legal custody. In some cases, your spouse’s attorney might offer shared physical custody and sole legal custody for their client. By agreeing to your spouse receiving sole legal custody you will have no say in determinations connected to your child’s medical care, schooling, or religious upbringing.
- You open yourself up to false accusations. It may be impossible to defend yourself in the event that your spouse lies to the court about what a horrible parent you are. The help of a lawyer can support you in building the most powerful case possible to reveal the falsehoods.
- You let your emotions get in the way. Custody battles can get severe. Acting on your emotions in court by becoming visibly upset will can make it that much more difficult for you to make your case. A lawyer is your supporter and voice, there to make your case so you can stay relaxed.
Judges prefer both parties to have attorneys.
The New Jersey family court system is almost always crunched for time dealing with an excess of cases. Unless you happen to be trained in family law, representing yourself in divorce puts you at risk for wasting the court’s time on issues that have simply no relevancy upon the facts or the outcome of your case, or you will require a great deal of explanation from the judge on basic legal issues. Because it creates a more practical, efficient courtroom, it’s really no shock that most judges prefer both parties to have attorneys representing them.
Your attorney will act as your buffer.
If you try to settle your matter outside of court (i.e., through mediation), representing yourself in your divorce increases the chances that you will need to speak directly with your spouse, or at least his or her attorney. If feelings are still running high between the two of you, practical communication over legal issues may be next to unattainable. Having an attorney in charge of legal communication can lessen the chance of natural feelings pushing the divorce off-track.
CONTACT OUR EXPERIENCED NEW JERSEY FIRM
If you require strong legal representation for matters of divorce and family law in Rumson, Monmouth County, or anywhere in New Jersey, contact The Law Offices of Paone, Zaleski & Murphy to schedule a consultation with one of our experienced attorneys today.
