Many people ask why they would use an attorney for purposes of getting divorced. The short answer is that you do not have to. The courts provide many forms and instructions for performing a basic divorce. If a so-called “simple” divorce is all you need, then this is great.
However - and this is a big however - there are many things that you can overlook when doing a marital dissolution on your own. The division of assets and debts, child custody, and parenting schedules all contain potential pitfalls for couples if not properly performed. Often, the very simplicity of a divorce agreement can create confusion down the road. For example, if parents agree to “joint custody, 50/50 split in parenting time” without further detail, what does this actually mean? Every other day? Every other week? Even if things are amicable now, what happens down the road when the parties disagree on which 50% of the time they actually get?
Talking to a qualified attorney can help make you aware of the things you should look out for, even if you plan on doing the divorce yourself. Some of the most contested cases end up as a result of poor planning on the front end. If you are contemplating a divorce, even if you are in agreement with your spouse about how it should look, you are well served by talking to an experienced lawyer.
Contact one of our Portland, Oregon divorce lawyers for Oregon-specific legal questions
