In Ireland you can get divorced without a lawyer. You can represent yourself in any divorce proceedings.
While this might sound like a great way to save some money, representing yourself in court, when examined more closely, is fraught with many pitfalls.
The fact is, getting divorced can be a very complex process and without professional help, the chances are, you could soon find yourself making many costly errors that will hit you financially not only in the short term but in the long term.
In this blog post, I will analyze some of the key areas that you’ll need to consider if you decide to get a divorce without hiring the services of a lawyer.
Will you have the legal expertise and time to implement any plan?
Of course, you want to save money, but will you have the expertise to research the relevant laws, gather the requisite documentation and then know how to file these documents in the courts and serve them effectively?
The courts are notorious for ensuring that all procedures are followed to the very last detail, and if you leave anything out in error, you could soon find yourself back to square one having to re-file and serve them.
One of the biggest assets in a divorce can be the pension entitlements of one or each spouse. The Pension Trustees must be notified of any legal proceedings which could lead to a change in the pension. A Pension Adjustment Order must be sought from the Court and these can prove challenging to deal with.
Getting divorced without a lawyer is ravaged with potential deceptions
So you’re thinking: You and your spouse are in complete agreement on all issues. What could possibly go wrong?
Even though you and your spouse may appear to be in perfect agreement, how can you be sure that you are not actually getting a raw deal or less than what you may be legally entitled to? What seems reasonable to both parties, to an eagle-eyed divorce lawyer might be a lopsided agreement which is weighing heavily in one person’s favour or does not reflect the true contribution each party made to the marriage.
It always pays to get a professional divorce lawyer to cast a fresh pair of eyes over the circumstances of your case.
When you get divorced with a lawyer you may not factor in future liabilities
Will you have the expertise to factor in any future difficulties or potential liabilities? Will you have the ability to think long term and will you have the expertise to insert clauses into a separation agreement that may shield you from any future claims? If you don’t have this expertise you may be setting yourself up for trouble.
A professional divorce lawyer will not only be thinking short term they will using long term strategic thinking to ensure that your assets are protected.
Overall
Whilst it might seem like a great idea to get divorced without a lawyer, on closer inspection such a move can be very risky. Separations can be a very complex, and if done incorrectly, separations can be very costly.
The question you’re going to need to ask yourself is: Do you have the expertise to spot the pitfalls and ensure that you’re going to get the best deal possible? If not, you can put your mind at ease by hiring a divorce lawyer who will ensure that every last detail of your case is analyzed in a meticulous fashion.
Why not put your mind at ease and contact us here at www.listonfamilylaw and allow a professional divorce lawyer to secure the best possible deal for you.