Perhaps you have seen an ad that says “Divorce $99” or have been told you do your own divorce. There are people out there who will provide you with the divorce forms and assist you in filling them out for $99. They cannot, however give legal advice. Forms are also available for “do it yourself” divorces (see our “Links” section. Quite frankly, if you and your spouse have no children and no assets then a $99 or “do it yourself” divorce will work out just fine.
The problems develop when there is property or money involved and can get even more complicated when children are involved. While you can still do it yourself, do you know what you are entitled to? Are you familiar with how child “custody” is handled?
If you and your spouse are miles apart on these issues – or you feel intimidated by your spouse, then please see our “Divorce” section (or “Paternity” section if not married) and come in for a free consultation.
However, there are cases in which both parties are in agreement as to the divorce or want to work out the paternity but want some assistance. Family Law Mediation may be your answer!
As a Certified Family Law Mediator, we can conduct a mediation before any papers are filed with the court in what is known as a “pre-suit mediation”. During this process, we will cover all areas that require resolution and with cooperation from both parties, work out an amicable resolution.
While we can’t give either party specific legal advice, we can tell you what the law is, in general. Couples find it helpful to sit down with a third party to work out a resolution and feel good about charting their own course rather than allowing a judge to do it for them. We find this is especially helpful when children are involved – it takes the animosity that often comes from court cases and saves money on legal fees!
We offer flat fees and hourly fees and can also assist in the preparation of documents.
Please call for more information.