The Pros and Cons of DIY Divorce in Pennsylvania

“The phrase ‘All is fair in love and war’ must have been penned by a divorce attorney.”

Paul Nassif

It is not much of a surprise that divorce is a costly endeavor. For this reason, many couples that file for divorce would prefer to go through this procedure without the involvement of any legal representative to save at least on fees for the divorce attorneys who charge hourly.

Of course, it is a viable option when two people are in agreement on all the possible disputes and other issues engaged in the process and can separate quite amicably. In such cases, they can even opt for an online divorce or so-called DIY (do-it-yourself) divorce, which is quite possible in the state of Pennsylvania.

DIY Divorce in Pennsylvania

In the state of Pennsylvania, family law allows both no-fault and fault-grounds divorce. That is why DIY divorce is quite possible here. However, it can be a viable option only for those couples who have already decided who is to blame for the ruined marriage, agreed that it must be ended for good and all, and come to an agreement concerning all the issues related to children, custody, support, property division, debt allocation, etc. In such a case, no judge’s involvement is needed to resolve the disputes, no attorneys should be engaged to defend your rights in court, and you can safely fill in and file all the necessary documents on your own.

So, if you are going to have a no-fault divorce, in which both of you agree that it is necessary and neither spouse needs to prove the other party’s fault, you can go on and arrange a DIY divorce. The best way to do this is to go to a website like https://onlinedivorceinpa.com/ and follow some easy steps to download the necessary forms, fill them in and file the documents. In case you still do not know how to properly handle some of the disputable issues and feel like you need some guidance, you can resort to the help of a mediator – a neutral third-party assistant, who can guide you in the right direction in this or that question concerning your divorce. In any case, this specialist’s services will cost you less than a professional family attorney with hourly fees.

Pros and Cons of DIY Divorce in Pennsylvania

No matter how attractive the idea of a quick and cheap DIY divorce may be, it has quite a lot of drawbacks in addition to a couple of benefits. So, let’s calculate all the pros and cons of a divorce that you have decided to complete on your own.

Pros of DIY Divorce in Pennsylvania

· A DIY divorce is much cheaper. Of course, you cannot avoid the mandatory filing fees charged by the court. However, you will not have to pay extraordinary hourly fees to the attorney or other legal representatives for their consultations or guidance. On specialized websites, you can find free printable forms necessary for the dissolution of your marriage and perhaps only pay some minimal sum for using their service.

· A DIY divorce is much faster. In addition to money, you also save a lot of time if you opt for a DIY divorce in Pennsylvania. In case you and your spouse managed to reach agreements concerning all the disputable issues, including child custody, parenting time, spousal support, property division, debt allocation, etc., you will not need to spend long hours in court on every hearing. As a result, the divorce will be finalized much quicker.

Cons of DIY Divorce in Pennsylvania

· Lack of necessary knowledge can cause trouble. It is not a secret that legal issues are rather complicated. For a person not familiar with all those terms and intricacies, it may be challenging to settle all the disputes properly, which may result in wrong decisions made concerning property and debt separation, child custody, alimony, and other issues, causing serious financial and emotional consequences. An experienced attorney or at least a mediator can assist with all the complex legal terms and procedures to protect your rights and provide a fair outcome for everyone involved.

· You may miss out on more beneficial options. If you rush for a DIY divorce blinded by the perspective of low cost and quick process, you can miss out on other options that can be more beneficial for all the involved parties. For example, divorce mediation presupposes the involvement of a mediator who will help with all the intricacies of the procedure but charge less than a reputable family attorney. In a collaborative divorce, you also get some perks to the successful outcome with minimal expenditures. Just try to research the issue to see what option may suit you the best.

· The slightest error in filing the documents will lead to more troubles. Even if you manage to figure out all the complex issues of the process, it is quite easy to make a careless mistake while filling in the papers. The slightest inaccuracy or incomplete documentation will make you do everything anew. At a minimum, this will cause delays since court systems are normally quite overwhelmed, and you will have to wait for your turn for weeks or months. As a result, the process may turn out more costly and emotionally exhausting. In addition to that, you can get lost in loads of forms provided in a DIY kit offered by specialized services for some pretty penny. You can get them free of charge on public resources but with no accompanying guidelines or consultation.

Self-representation in court may be quite risky. The lack of legal awareness makes you quite vulnerable in front of the judge. Like in any other legal case, representing yourself in court is fraught with certain risks. A single inaccurate step will leave you at a disadvantage in terms of the divided assets or the right to take care of your children. However, the judgment cannot be undone once it is filed.

· Your divorce may turn out to be not as amicable as you thought initially. The truth is that mutual eagerness to file for divorce is too rare. In most cases, there is an initiator of separation and a resentful victim. Even if your spouse agreed to the divorce humbly and with no objections, it does not mean that they would not want you to suffer. Therefore, a lot of surprising facts may get disclosed in the process, including adultery, concealed assets, defalcated family budget, or transgressions you did not even suspect of. Indeed, financial and emotional tensions can ignite the worst features in both of you, making the process quite hostile. In this case, an experienced attorney can balance your negativeness and finish it up cool-headedly.

· The outcome may come up rather unfairly. If you try to get over your divorce as soon as possible and with little pain, you may agree to compromises and provide more benefits to your spouse. With time, you will understand that you did not get everything that you deserve, but it may be already too late. If you engage an attorney, they will help to reach a fair outcome for both of you with not much trouble but for a round sum of money.

While DIY divorce is surely a very cheap and fast option to dissolve your marriage, it may cause quite significant troubles. So, if you and your spouse have at least the slightest hint of disagreement concerning your separation, think twice. Perhaps it is better to consider some other options?