A lawyer is not required for a divorce. A running back is not required for a football team. Spices are not required to cook food. You get it.
Like any legal activity, divorce has many loopholes you may overlook. This is why even attorneys who get divorced hire specialized divorce attorneys to represent them. If you ever find yourself facing a divorce, consider these six reasons to hire an experienced divorce attorney:
1. Laws vary. Despite what your best friend may have told you, laws are not the same from state to state. What may be true in California, New York, or Maryland is often not the case in Georgia. For example, consider "No Fault" divorce. While all states will recognize …show more content…
If not filed with the proper grounds in the correct venue, your spouse may file a motion to have the case dismissed. Be certain that your divorce is properly prepared and your attorney is licensed to practice in the state and court in which you are filing. 3. Laws change. Think about how many times the speed limits have changed. Divorce laws change even more frequently. For example, starting this year (2016) in Illinois, child custody is no longer going to be part of a divorce. Under the new law, parents will have to come up with a shared parenting plan and must work through the medical, religious, educational, and other details of raising their children. Even more incredible, under the new rules, parents will not be able to move more than 50 miles away without losing their rights to the children. In the past, they could move anywhere in the …show more content…
Terminology matters. If you are not familiar with the terminology, you may not be granted the divorce you were planning on. For example, all states have "no fault" divorce doctrines, but the method to obtain one is slightly different in each state. Those who have witnessed divorce in the movies will know the term "irreconcilable differences". This is a valid reason for a no fault diverse in many states, but not in Georgia. In Georgia, the term is "irretrievably broken". While the two concepts mean virtually the same thing, they are not the same and a divorce will not be granted in Georgia for irreconcilable differences.
5. Cover your assets. Georgia is an "equitable distribution" state. This means that your property will be divided up equitably, but not down the middle like in a community property state. Most states are equitable distribution states, but Arizona, California, Idaho, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Washington and Wisconsin are not. Alaska lets its residents decide. In equitable distribution states, it is important to have exceptional records of your assets and a strong legal support team if there is any question about good faith on the part of the other