The legal and emotional process of divorcing a partner can be difficult, even for the most stalwart of people.  For some people, this can be a good process.  For others, it can seem like the proverbial "end of the world."  Divorces can be amicable, and they can be acrimonious (or anywhere in-between).  Many people, when they find themselves in the process of an impending divorce, wonder if they can go it alone and forego hiring a divorce attorney.  After all, divorce law can't be that difficult, can it?  

The simple answer is yes, it can.  

In fact, there's a well known axiom in the legal community that goes something to effect of, "Never represent yourself!"  The legal term for this is representing oneself pro se, or "on one's own behalf."  Even in cases where the divorce is objectively amicable between both parties and there are no marital assets nor children that would be involved in the litigation portion of the court proceedings, it's still generally inadvisable to go it alone.  Divorce law is nuanced (to put it lightly), and can change depending on the family court involved.  What might be true for a divorce proceeding in a Californian family court might not be true in a Texan family court (and vice versa).  And, because divorce law is so nuanced, it is extremely probable one could make a mistake of omission out of ignorance.  The cost of retaining a divorce lawyer might seem like an unnecessary expense now, but further down the road, it could save both you and your ex-partner mountains of paperwork and potential heads full of gray hairs.  

Of course, if there are marital assets or children involved in the equation of the divorce, it is absolutely paramount to retain a divorce lawyer.  The practical legal application of dividing up assets, establishing custody agreements, and dividing all other forms of common marital remunerations are extremely complicated.  Moreover, a divorce attorney is your advocate throughout the entire process.   It is their responsibility and their goal to always act in your best interest.  This doesn't mean that they're there to "stick it to the other person and get you as much as you can get," but it does mean they will apply all applicable law in an equitable and expeditious manner.  So, if you find yourself contemplating filing for a divorce or if you've been served notice that your soon-to-be ex-partner has filed for divorce, do yourself a favor and hire a divorce attorney.  It's well worth the cost.  

To learn more, contact a resource like Cooper Levenson Attorneys At Law.