Do It Yourself

What exactly does it mean to go through your own divorce without an attorney? It means that you will file your paperwork, understand the rules and follow the law; just as if you were an attorney. That may sound a bit daunting at first, but not if you follow these step-by-step procedures. If controversy and arguments arise, do not despair: you may still be able to salvage your ability to go through this without an attorney by understanding and outlining your issues, and perhaps using a mediator. A mediator is a neutral third party who will visit with you and help you and your partner work out any disagreements that you are having as you go through this process.

The court will also hold you to the standard of an attorney, so if you are going to do this without an attorney, learn the rules and procedures of the court so you are educated about what is going on.

Why Would You Want to do Your Own Divorce?

The simplest answer may be money: divorce attorneys are not cheap. Using your attorney as a sword to duel with your partner is very expensive. Actually, it is ridiculously expensive. So, if you and your partner have any inclination to work things out, and you most likely will be able to, you should try to do part, if not all, of your divorce yourselves. You may need help along the way, but that does not preclude you from doing much of it yourself. If you run into bumps, you can always use an attorney for a consultation in a limited scope representation or as a mediator.

For instance, you can pay an attorney at Best Law Firm for one hour of time to give you legal advice and to advocate for you. Or, at our firm, you can hire an experienced mediator to avoid court. A mediator does not give legal advice or take sides, but is a paid neutral party who consults with you and your partner together. Having practiced family law in Arizona courts, we know you are better off if you can avoid a messy courtroom confrontation. (See www.bestlawaz.com).

You can do your divorce yourself or with as much help as you want. You can do it spending as little or as much money as you decide. You can handle it with as much or as little conflict as you allow yourself to participate in. Let’s go through all the various options of handling a divorce, which include doing it yourself, using document preparation services, hourly legal consultations, mediation and of course, with lawyers.

Forms and Filing for Doing It Yourself

There are self-help forms at the courthouses and you can find them online at superiorcourt.maricopa.gov/. There are also explanations about these forms on that website. While a do-it-yourself divorce may work for some, it can be dangerous and disastrous for others. At a minimum, you should review the forms and the instructions and review this book. If you have some questions after reading this book, you might want to call Best Law Firm for an attorney consultation or to have someone fill out the forms for you for a flat fee.