These days, people can do just about anything online, including filing for divorce.
Though divorce lawyers do not recommend it for many people, there is such a thing as online divorces.
As simple as these transactions that bypass the involvement of a divorce attorney may seem, the truth is that they can be a very bad idea for most people.
There are many important reasons why working with a divorce lawyer is so important, some that can affect the rest of your life.
What Is An Online Divorce?
Filing for a divorce online involves accessing legal divorce documents online for a fee, downloading them, then filling them out and submitting them to the county clerk to file a divorce.
It is easy and can be less expensive than hiring a divorce attorney; however, it also puts people at risk of making mistakes that can affect their divorce outcome and even the rest of their lives.
Who Should Not File For Divorce Online?
As easy and inexpensive as online divorce filing seems, there are more people who should avoid using this method than there are who can safely rely on it.
Divorce lawyers recommend that those seeking a divorce who are dealing with these and many other situations avoid trying to DIY and enlist professionals to help them:
- Contested Divorce - When spouses do not agree on the divorce, it is an at-fault divorce, or there is likely to be fighting over the distribution of marital property or other critical decisions that must be made, DIY online divorce is definitely not recommended.
- Missing Spouse - If one spouse is not locatable, there are certain legal channels that must be traveled with the help of a divorce lawyer before a marriage termination will be granted.
- Domestic Violence - The presence of domestic violence in the marriage requires the court to get involved in terms of marital decision-making, custody issues, and other important details.
- Hidden Assets - If the possibility exists that a spouse might be hiding assets, this is something that must be pursued with the help of an experienced divorce attorney and potentially other experts. Failing to do so could prevent each spouse from maintaining the marital wealth each one is entitled to.
- Texas Residential Requirements - For any couple to divorce in Texas, at least one spouse must be residing in the state for at least 6 months. This requirement is no different when filing online.
- Financial or Legal Advice Needed - Many couples require financial and legal advice from their divorce attorneys about many decisions that should not be made lightly. From the distribution of retirement accounts and legally dispersing other wealth according to Texas community property laws to ownership of property and businesses and child custody concerns, these are all topics that must be legally worked out to avoid unexpected problems in the future.
- Unwillingness to Cooperate - When spouses cannot agree to cooperate on these and many other details, it becomes impossible to skip the divorce lawyer and attempt to get a legal divorce online.
- Complicated Circumstances - Even when spouses agree to negotiate, complicated or unique family and financial circumstances also require the guidance of an experienced divorce lawyer. Without it, couples could be setting themselves up for a host of problems later on.
An Experienced Divorce Attorney Will Protect Rights During A Divorce
Unless couples agree on every issue, know how to legally divide up their marital property, and understand the many decisions that must be made upon ending their marriage, skipping the divorce attorney to file online is not recommended.
This is especially so in Texas, which divorce lawyers remind is a community property state where the division of said property is not always black and white.
Truthfully, many couples don’t even realize that they do need the help of an attorney at first until things start getting difficult.
Filing with the assistance of an experienced divorce lawyer promises to bring about the best results for both spouses in the long run.
About
By allowing skilled divorce attorneys such as those at Foreman Family Law to provide important guidance on all the issues that divorcing couples must address, moving ahead without the worry of potential legal and financial problems later is more possible.
For help with any aspect of family law, consult with the experienced and dedicated team at Foreman Family Law who guide families through difficult times – call (979) 217-6279 to set up an appointment!
