Ways Paralegals Can Help In Do-It-Yourself Divorce Cases
Those who are in a position to pay a lawyer to handle their divorce usually retain the services of an attorney to help file their petitions and deal with negotiations. The fact of the matter is that divorce entails the complete separation of finances, and many in the US are simply unable to allocate any extra resources. For those who must provide answers to time sensitive divorce pleadings or simply cannot put off divorce any longer, working with a paralegal can be invaluable.
What A Paralegal Can Do
When you work with a paralegal on your divorce case, you will always have a fresh set of eyes to look over your documentation in an impartial manner. In addition to checking over all of your documentation to make sure that all sections have been filled out properly, your paralegal can point out potential issues within the other party's pleadings. While your paralegal won't be able to appear in court or negotiate the terms of the divorce on your behalf, you will be able to proceed knowing that all of your documentation is order.
Tackling Divorce Matters With Professional Help
Many people feel trepidation when they file divorce petitions and pleadings, mainly because they aren't sure that they're doing it correctly. While most judges are more lenient with litigants filing for divorce pro se, this doesn't mean that clerical or factual errors cannot delay proceedings. In some instances, a divorce petition can be thrown out if it is improperly filed, forcing the petitioner to restart the process over from the beginning.
You can get assistance with other matters that tie directly into divorce, such as child and spousal support, from a skilled paralegal. Depending on how complex your divorce case is, there may be requests for discovery, financial disclosure statements, requests for modification, motions for amendment and a slew of other complex legal documentation that you need to provide. Although your paralegal cannot provide legal advise or actually fill out divorce forms for you, he or she will make you aware of specific issues you would need to take care of.
Managing Legal Costs With Paralegal Services
Paralegals generally charge much less than attorneys for their services, so you will not need to pay a large retainer fee. With paralegals and divorce cases, there are fewer billable hours when compared to attorneys. You can pay your paralegal to review individual legal documents as they become available, allowing you to pay for these services over the duration of your divorce.
