“Do I Need a Lawyer to Get a Divorce?” If you and your spouse have decided to divorce, you may be wondering whether or not you actually need to hire a family law attorney to have your divorce finalized. While there isn’t a law that says you need an attorney, there are some situations where a couple would be best served by each party retaining a separate attorney. In other cases, a couple may find that it’s in their best interests to do the divorce themselves.

Do I Need a Lawyer to Get a Divorce?

Technically, there’s no law that says you need to have a lawyer in order to legally get divorced. However, there are a lot of people who do benefit from having an attorney as opposed to getting a divorce online, or having your spouse hire the attorney and completing the divorce without hiring your own attorney. Remember, you and your spouse cannot share an attorney. The attorney will represent the best interests of whichever party hires the attorney. It does not matter if you pay for half the cost of the attorney. If your spouse has an attorney, it’s likely in your best interest to have an attorney as well. This way, you’re going to have someone who’s looking out for you and your best interests.

Signs You Might Not Need a Divorce Lawyer

Not everyone needs a divorce attorney when they’re getting a divorce. If you and your spouse haven’t been married for very long, there’s a lower chance that you’ll actually need to get an attorney, especially if you don’t have kids or a complicated marital estate. If you and your spouse can agree upon the terms of your divorce without getting the court involved, you may be able to get a divorce without using an attorney. If you can agree on most things, but not everything, mediation may be a good option for you. A mediator is a third party who’s unbiased and helps couples come to an agreement regarding the asset division and terms of the divorce. Typically, both parties pay for the mediator and as previously mentioned, the mediator doesn’t represent any one specific party.

Signs You Might Need a Divorce Lawyer

When divorces have a lot of conflict, each party may need to get an attorney’s advice, especially in cases where the relationship is too damaged to allow the couple to come to an agreement without third-party intervention. In situations that involve child abuse and/or domestic violence, there may need to be an attorney to ensure that the vulnerable party is adequately protected both legally and physically. If you and your spouse have a complicated marital estate and it’s unclear who is entitled to which assets, you may need to hire an attorney. This is especially true when it comes to co-mingled assets such as homes, businesses, and vehicles.

How Much Does a Divorce Lawyer Cost?

A divorce attorney can charge anywhere from $50 per hour to $500 per hour depending on where you live. A lot of this will depend on the attorney’s reputation and their experience. If you need an attorney that has a lot of experience aggressively litigating high-conflict divorces, you may need to invest more than you would if you’re just hiring an attorney to ensure that your divorce documents are filed correctly. Furthermore, the length of your divorce process will likely play a large role in the cost of your divorce. If you and your spouse take years in order to reach an agreement, you will probably spend more on your divorce than a couple who’s able to divorce amicably.

How to Save on Your Divorce

Being able to reach an agreement without the help of an attorney or a court will help you save time and money. You can do this by choosing only a few items that you’re willing to fight for and being open to negotiation. Another way you can save money is to use an online divorce platform like SimpleEnding. SimpleEnding helps you understand the issues you need to address and educate you on those issues, helping you make informed decisions. SimpleEnding generates your divorce documents for you based on information you and your spouse provide. It uses the same legal language an attorney would use and only allows couples to select terms that the court will uphold. By using SimpleEnding, you and your spouse won’t have to spend a fortune on divorce documents, but you’ll be able to rest assured that both your rights are protected. However, if you’ve decided that an attorney would be your best bet, CoilLaw is here for you. Contact us to get started on your initial consultation.

Can You Get Divorced Without a Lawyer?

Legally, you are not required to hire an attorney to divorce in Utah. People do represent themselves, especially in simple cases. The real question is not whether you can, but whether doing so protects your interests. The answer depends on how complicated your situation is.

When You Might Manage on Your Own

Self-representation may be workable when the marriage was short, there are no children, there is little property or debt, and both spouses agree on everything. Utah’s Online Court Assistance Program can help you prepare paperwork in straightforward cases. Even then, a quick attorney review before filing can catch costly mistakes.

When You Really Should Hire a Lawyer

The more complexity you have, the more a lawyer is worth it. Strongly consider hiring one if your case involves:

Children and disputes over custody or support.
Significant property, retirement accounts, or a business.
A spouse who has hired their own attorney.
Any history of abuse or a high-conflict dynamic.

A Salt Lake City divorce attorney can protect your rights and make sure the final decree says what you actually agreed to.

The Cost of Going Without

Skipping a lawyer to save money can backfire if you give up rights you did not know you had. Reopening a finalized divorce is expensive and sometimes impossible. Getting it right the first time usually costs less than fixing it later. Contact our team to talk about your case.