Welcome back and thanks for joining us for this discussion about using online document companies for your divorce. As we mentioned in the previous article, online divorce paperwork tends to be set up as one-size-fits-all, which almost never works for divorces. Especially when there are kids, alimony or child support to consider, significant amounts of assets or debt, or the divorce is contentious. But those aren’t the only issue you need to keep in mind when considering an online cheapie divorce.
Every state has different divorce laws.
Michigan has very specific divorce laws, which are completely different from the divorce laws you’ll find in Tennessee, Virginia or Oregon. Which means that as a Michigan resident, and more specifically as an Oakland County resident, you need to remember that online divorce documents don’t take the laws of individual states into account. Many of those documents are prepared by lawyer wannabees. They call themselves paralegals or document preparers in many cases.
Wherever you live, the laws governing divorce will differ slightly from other places (in some cases, it will differ a lot!) However Michigan law is very particular about how paperwork should be filed, how assets must be divided, and what determines child custody. Here in Oakland County, the family courts handle certain situations in very specific ways. Even our individual family court judges in Oakland County differ in their thoughts and procedures. So if you want a divorce agreement that will actually hold up under scrutiny in a Michigan court, don’t get it online!
Incorrect documents may be rejected by the family court
Another issue you may run into is the fact that your downloaded documents, if they’re incorrect or outdated, may be rejected. Online divorce paperwork isn’t usually created with your unique state variances in mind (or updated every time the law changes in your state!). States differ, counties differ and even the judges differ.
So there’s a good chance that these documents aren’t in compliance with Michigan divorce law. Or with Oakland County procedure. Or maybe with the particular requirements of the judge assigned to your own divorce case. If you fill out the paperwork on your own and submit it to the court without knowing it contains incorrect information, your divorce could be dead in the water before it ever gets started.
Online document companies can’t represent you in court!
Any family lawyer worth their salt will tell you – there’s much more to a divorce than just the initial filing! Many divorces involve arguing motions in court, or using some type of facilitated mediation. People who use online document companies won’t have legal representation at these very important events, which is a pretty terrible idea! It’s as bad as trying surgery without a real doctor doing it.
Why? Because going to court, or a mediation meeting, without an attorney is short sighted, and can leave you short changed in the end! And when you’re talking about things like spousal support, child support, visitation, and asset division, these things can play a major role in your future! So showing up without representation is the equivalent of signing off on your rights and letting your spouse’s attorney steamroll you for whatever you’re worth. Sometimes people think that “we agree on everything.” Almost always, that’s not the case since you don’t really understand what “everything” is. An experienced Oakland County divorce attorney will look at the big picture, long range rather than being short sighted and interested only on “just getting it over with.”
Be smart! Get help from a skilled Oakland County divorce lawyer!
If you’d like to avoid all that drama, and want your divorce handled properly by a skilled family law attorney with decades of experience and a commitment to your future that rivals your own, call The Kronzek Firm at (248) 479-6200. We are here to help you. So make the right choice and come talk to us about your divorce. We do free consultations, and are available 24/7 to help you handle life’s problems as they happen. You have questions. We have the answers.