Did the Judge Laugh At Your DIY Divorce Paperwork?
How to avoid looking stupid in front of a room full of people…
Look, sometimes the Judge just can’t help it. When you represent yourself you are still required to do everything an attorney does. This includes filling out your paperwork correctly and testifying at Court. So many people sit back and think that they can DIY their divorce and it is as easy as getting their marriage license.
Want to know one of the biggest mistakes people make when they DIY their divorce? They screw up the paperwork…
- They don’t list all their property.
- They don’t list anything for their Spouse’s property.
Why is this a big deal?
The Court has to make a determination that the division of the assets is “fair and not unconscionable”.
When no property is listed for one party, on it’s face it is not fair.
The other thing people don’s understand is that if the Court has not divided something, technically it is still marital property.
You don’t want to have to come back to court to reopen your divorce because you did not do it right the first time.
The Court also has to make a determination about maintenance. The Judge needs to see that each Party can support themselves.
Part of this is seeing that the Party is employed or retired and has funds sufficient to support themselves. The other part of this equation is that they have assets that are sufficient to meet their needs. If you don’t have any property set forth for the other Spouse, the Court has a hard time making the finding that no maintenance is needed for your Spouse.
All the Judge is asking is that you do YOUR job so they can do THEIR job. It is not hard. You just have to know the little secrets to meet the minimum standard the Judge has to reach so they can sign your Divorce Decree.
The good news is that you don’t have to do your DIY on your own… help is available!
You don’t have to pay thousands of dollars for your divorce! The good news is that you can hire an attorney to do a part of your case. This is called Limited Scope Representation. It is kind of like going to McDonalds and ordering the Quarter Pounder — just the hamburger… no fries no drink. You only pay for what you need.
Already started your DIY Divorce in Missouri and goofed it? No problem. I can help you fix your case and walk out of your next court date with a signed divorce decree. Want to know how? Run over and grab my free publication “When The State Forms Are Not Enough”.
Remember, you don’t have to go for years waiting to get divorced. If you don’t have the money to hire your attorney, you can DIY your Divorce on your own without doing it alone.
