Thanks to the Internet, the current economy and the continued decline in the public’s views of lawyers and their perceived high prices, a record number of people are representing themselves in their legal matters.  This is especially true in the area of family law where, according to the American Bar Association, in some areas of the country at least one person is pro se, or proceeding without a lawyer, in as high as 90 percent of the court cases.  Based on these facts there is a good chance you are considering handling your divorce on your own instead of hiring a lawyer to help you.

 

Once the decision has been made to handle your own case, the question then becomes how to proceed. Although sample court forms can often be obtained from the Clerk’s office in the county you live in, these forms are confusing and difficult to fill out correctly and the people in the office are strictly forbidden by law from giving legal advice regarding how to complete them or which ones apply to your given situation.  Out of  frustration at trying to figure the legal forms out, you might consider turning to online document preparation providers or buying a do-it-your-self kit at a local store. 

 

The problem with these services is they are operated by anonymous strangers with no verifiable legal education or accountability.  In fact if you closely read the fine print on their sites, or on the packaging, you will find that they do not even offer any guarantees that the forms they sell you will be the updated and correct ones for your situation or jurisdiction.  Since these providers are not lawyers, when you use one of them you lose the protection of confidentiality along with the ability of being able to complain to a legal discipline agency and pursue a legal claim if things go wrong.

 

Why take this risk and go through all the headaches when you can hire a local licensed attorney to do all the work for you at the same or lower fee that the non-attorney providers are charging?  Court clerks, paralegals or document preparation services are not the same as Lawyers.  They cannot give you advice, they can not complete the forms for you, and they do not go to court with you.  North Georgia Attorney Rhonda Blackwell Siler can give you advice, can do the work, and can go to court with you.  

 

 

 

 

 

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