Divorce is a tumultuous time. Your world may seem like it is fragmenting as you look to end a marriage. It is a time when emotions are running high. It may be tempting to use a self-help forms divorce service in Oklahoma to prepare and file your divorce petition or your response to your spouse’s petition.
After all, then you would feel more in control of the process. But there are many solid reasons not to do so.
Courts Require Compliance With the Law
The forms are just the beginning of the process. There are no standard self-help divorce forms service in Oklahoma and all court pleadings must conform to local and state law. If they are in error, they will be rejected by the court.
That means that if you use the wrong form, or fill it out incorrectly, it will be rejected. But more importantly, when you use a self-help divorce forms service, you could enter information or fail to enter information that might have a negative effect on you. And one thing is certain: The things you decide in a divorce now will affect you for years to come.
A divorce is not just the end of a marital relationship, it is the end of a financial and emotional entanglement. The division of assets and debts such as the family home, investments, retirement accounts and the like all accompany issues like the custody and support of the children involved in the marriage.
Filing is Just the Beginning
But let’s say, you get the initial forms filled out with the help of a local service that helps people. Filing the initial petition or responsive pleading is just the beginning of the process. There are other disclosures that must be made and a marital settlement agreement that must be put together by the spouses that will address the children’s needs and the division of property.
A self-help divorce forms service is just not equipped to handle the issues that go along with anything but the very basic, uncomplicated divorce. They are not lawyers and cannot advise you regarding the law, nor what might be best for you or your children.
What to do With Your Questions
As you go through this process you will have many questions. Are you the petitioner or the respondent? What do you do with your inheritance money? Did you commingle your separate property with your marital property? Does doing so affect the division of property at divorce? Can we get joint custody of the children and how does that affect child support payments? When you are representing yourself, a court will hold you to the same standard that it would hold your attorney.
Finally, an experienced divorce attorney can act as a buffer between you and your spouse at a time when you may badly need a buffer. Emotions are high and the handling of a divorce needs a cool, calm head. Shouting matches with a spouse only make matters worse.
It is better to hire an attorney and get on with your life. Get the help you need when you need it most.
Low-cost Consultation: Okmulgee Divorce Attorney
Whether you are contemplating a divorce or are in the middle of one, you need a lawyer to help you understand the divorce process and how it may affect you. It’s time to reach out for a confidential, no cost consultation with an Okmulgee family law attorney.
Simply call (918) 756-9600, or toll-free (888) Wirth-Law now for a consultation with an Okmulgee, Oklahoma lawyer at the Wirth Law Office – Okmulgee.
Or, enter your legal question or concern in the form at the top right of this page, and one of our attorneys will email or call you.
