Welcome back and thanks for joining The Kronzek Firm again for our discussion on why sharing a divorce attorney in Oakland County is a horrible idea! As we mentioned in the previous article, one attorney who took on both parties in a divorcing couple would be faced with a serious ethical dilemma! How could they represent both people’s best interests properly? And how could they advocate for the best interests of both people without favoring one over the other? It simply can’t be done.
So here’s the question. If a couple lives in Royal Oak or Bloomfield or Birmingham, or anywhere else in Oakland County, what can they do if they want to save a little cash during their divorce. Everyone knows that high quality attorneys can be costly. So if they both think they agree on all the terms and conditions, what options are available for them? (It almost never works out that couples agree on everything. One reason for that is they don’t even understand what everything is.) Well, some couples choose to have one person hire an attorney while the other person represents themselves.
Does hiring an attorney for one spouse and not the other work?
Some couples try to eliminate the conflict by having only one spouse hire an attorney, while the other spouse represents themselves (which is called pro se.) In this instance, the attorney representing the one spouse would draft the divorce agreement, file all of the paperwork, and do all of the divorce preparations.
This can sometimes work, however many unrepresented people have ended up frustrated when they discovered that the attorney created a divorce agreement that favored their spouse, and not themselves. Obviously, because the attorney is only representing one spouse, they are legally bound to provide their client with the best possible representation, which means getting them the best outcome in their divorce.
What about skipping the attorney altogether and doing it yourself?
Another option some couples look into is forgoing the use of lawyers entirely and simply representing themselves in their divorce. It’s certainly an option, and not against the law, however, there are a few things you need to keep in mind when choosing to go the DIY route for divorce here in the Detroit area.
For example, without an attorney to guide you, you may end up agreeing to terms that aren’t in your best interest! (This could also happen if your spouse hires an attorney and you represent yourself.) Because many divorcing couples don’t realize how their choices now can impact their life in the decades to come, they sometimes make uninformed choices. An attorney would be aware of how those decisions could affect your future, and would advise you to steer clear!
We tell our clients that in the area of family law / divorce / custody, it usually works out that one decision has a significant effect on another decision. Lay people have no idea about that until it’s too late. Even when a decision stands alone, it often has important, long term ramifications that people not trained in the law aren’t aware of. Bottom line is that it is penny wise and dollar foolish to play lawyer in your divorce case. Sometimes you just need professionals to do the job correctly.
Are you and your spouse considering an amicable divorce?
At The Kronzek Firm, we’ve spent decades helping clients and families in and around Oakland County with their family law cases. Our team has handled thousands of divorce, custody, PPO, relocation, and child support cases. We understand the financial difficulties you’re facing, and we know how hard this process is. But we also know what’s at stake, and how risky it can be to want to save a few pennies now, only to lose the big dollars down the line!
If you or a loved one have decided to end your marriage and want to help from highly experienced and ethical attorneys, call The Kronzek Firm at (248) 479-6200. Our office in Farmington Hills handles divorce and family law cases all over Oakland County and Macomb County.