# Divorce without lawyers...anyone do this?



## pacmouse (Nov 27, 2008)

My H and I are divorcing and we have seemed to agree on how to split property, child support, visitation, pensions, alimony ....everything. 

Do we need to get lawyers and pay a lot of money for something we agree on? We really don't have that kind of money.

am I fool to think it is that easy? He has a lot of guilt and has agreed to everything I have suggested? 

Thanks!


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## Brewster 59 (Jun 19, 2010)

So Hunt is a lawyer and while lawyers are sometimes necessary if you can agree on the terms, hire a paralegal to fill out the paperwork and your good to go. There are books on how to do your own divorce and that may be an option but really the paralegals are pretty reasonable, and guess what the paralegals are who the lawyers have fill out that paperwork and charge you 250-350 an hour for it. In the end its your choice your money can be in your pockets or the lawyers.


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## Brewster 59 (Jun 19, 2010)

Hunt Brown said:


> the point of my post was not "feed the lawyers" but be aware of the unseen dangers that can arise from unballanced settlement agreements and to seek counseling to resolve the guilt issues before settlement negotiations began.
> 
> as to using paralegals... I don't know of any states that allow paralegals to practice law, in california, as I understand it from a lay perspective, it is against the law for a paralegal to *select, explain, draft, or recommend the use of any legal document to or for any person other than the attorney who directs and supervises the paralegal*. so I would check with your bar association first before trying to go there. court annexed mediation is probably your best low cost alternative.
> 
> ...


Actually I had paralegals fill out my paperwork, they do not go to court and rep you nor can they give you legal advice but they sure can fill out the paper work. There are a lot of books on diy divorce that are less than $400 and a lot less than 2000 pages. A simple uncontested divorce is not that complicated, do a search on doing your on divorce and check it out.


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## Brewster 59 (Jun 19, 2010)

Yup I handeled A divorce the only one I cared about, mine! Anyways it only works if you agree with the settlement terms and for uncontested D. But I gotta tell ya I liked keeping the 4K the laywer wanted as a retainer in my pocket and so did my X. If you have probs comming up with a settlement then a mediator is a good way to go. If your X gets an attourney dont even mess with it get an attourney fast.


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## pacmouse (Nov 27, 2008)

Thanks for giving me your thoughts on this. 

My STBX, Is really gung-ho for a divorce. He also has a history of EAs so, my guess he has someone waiting in the wings that he is in a hurry to get to. So, no I won't feel guilty when I collect child support, claim the kid on taxes and keep out timeshare. He gets half the $ from the sale of our house and we each keep our pensions. He can also see the kids on every one of his scheduled days off. 

Sounds simple to me.


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