Should You Represent Yourself in a Georgia Divorce Case?
Representing yourself in a Georgia divorce case can be a risky proposition, although it is possible in some cases. For instance, if you have been married for a short period of time and you and your spouse have no children, assets, or debts together, you may be able to get divorced fairly easily by completing the appropriate court paperwork.
Most divorces, however, are not so simple. If you and your spouse have children together, you must address issues related to the children in your divorce, including child custody, visitation, child support, and claiming children as dependents on federal and state income tax returns. These issues can become very complicated, especially if you and your spouse cannot reach an agreement. Likewise, if you or your spouse owns a pension or retirement plan, real estate, or other significant assets, your divorce decree must address these issues. Again, these issues can become extremely complex and may require paperwork that only an attorney will know how to successfully prepare. Plus, if your spouse has an attorney and you don’t, you may not know it whether his or her settlement proposal is fair and reasonable or not.
Another danger of representing yourself in a divorce case is the potential for leaving something out of your divorce decree. Even if you don’t have an attorney, the judge will not act as your lawyer and bring up issues that you forgot or didn’t know about. It is up to you to make sure that every issue that you need covered is included in your divorce decree. Plus, if you leave something out, it will be much more difficult, that you will be able to go back afterward and fix the problem.
Shaw Law Firm LLC has handled countless divorce cases involving child custody issues, alimony, significant marital assets, and other important issues. We know that these issues can quickly become complex under Georgia divorce law and we know what it takes to achieve our client’s goals. Allow us to shoulder a part of your burden during your divorce proceedings by leaving the complicated legal details up to us.
Contact us or call today to learn how Shaw Law can work with you to achieve the best outcome possible for you and your children.
Scott Shaw is founder and principle of Shaw Law Firm LLC, founded in 1995 and dedicated solely to divorce, family law and child custody matters that must be addressed and decided in the state of Georgia. Shaw Law Firm serves the greater Metro Atlanta area, particularly the counties of Fulton, Gwinnett, Cobb, Cherokee, Forsyth, Paulding, Henry, Fayette, Coweta, Newton, Walton, Bartow and Douglas. Schedule a consultation today at 770-594-8309.