Do-it-yourself manuals seem ubiquitous in book stores and libraries, covering topics across a veritable universe of possibilities.
That universe includes a number of legal topics. In the realm of estate administration, for example, there are boilerplate wills that can be tweaked to accommodate personal circumstances, just as there are health care directives focused on end-of-life decisions and a number of other generic forms that can be adjusted.
Contract law is well represented, as well, with many basic agreement forms available for use.
Divorce-related documents and forms also exist that may be of some interest to Georgia residents and other persons nationally.
Should they be used?
As with virtually all so-called DIY legal forms and agreements, caution is the byword, with an accompanying caveat that knowledgeable legal representation becomes increasingly necessary as a legal matter grows in complexity.
In other words, and as noted by one family law expert in a recent media article, a person involved in a divorce that features complexities of any magnitude will likely benefit from the advice of an experienced divorce attorney.
Conversely put, forgoing a proven lawyer when real-life issues centered on property division (especially high-asset division), custody matters, support issues and other important topics exist can undermine expectations, delay the divorce process, cost comparatively more money and result in agreements that might be less than airtight.
Very few divorces are so straightforward that they can be effected through use of a standard agreement. State laws vary regarding required documentation, as do rules concerning division of marital assets, alimony and many other matters. An experienced divorce attorney knows the legal terrain and issues intimately and commands the knowledge required to fully promote the best interests of a divorce client.
A lay person seeking to obtain that same level of representation through use of book store forms and website advice is destined to be disappointed.
Source: Huffington Post, “5 reasons that you need a divorce attorney,” David Centeno, Sept. 17, 2013
