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Do I Have to Have an Attorney for my Family Law Case?

No. You don’t have to have an attorney for your family law case. Whether dealing with divorce, custody, or child support issues, you are free to handle the case on your own and no lawyer is required. However, having an experience Denver family law attorney can provide various advantages to you and can potentially affect the outcome of your case. With decades of combined family law experience, the attorneys at Plog & Stein understand the importance of your case and strive for excellence in providing the legal representation you deserve.

Firstly, when parties choose to represent themselves in family law cases, they are held to the same standard as attorneys. This applies to all aspects of the case, including the drafting and filing of documents, meeting the various deadlines set forth in the Colorado Rules of Civil Procedure or the case management order, adhering to the rules of evidence, meeting pre-trial deadlines, and following courtroom procedures and rules during trial. In reality, there are many variables and moving parts that come with handling a family law case.

To start, when filing or responding to a petition or motion, such as a motion to modify custody, you will need to know the legal standards and how to plead them appropriately in your filing. Likewise, if you are defending against a motion, you may miss opportunities in your response, such as being aware of grounds for dismissing that motion. The bottom line is that experienced attorneys are trained to know the law and its application tied into the facts, including when it comes to drafting court documents. They are also trained to assess the details and finer points of the facts at hand, to be used to your advantage.

When representing yourself, you run the risk of missing various deadlines tied into financial disclosures, witnesses, discovery, and trial management that, when missed, could lead to delay, evidence preclusion, and ultimately poor substantive results.

Hiring divorce attorneys in Denver provide a wide array of benefits. They are advisors who will methodically look at your facts and concerns, in synch with the law, for purposes of not only providing sound advice, but also to help you determine your options from a strategic and substantive standpoint. From there, they are guides through the court system, which is an environment laden with rules and procedures and is much less informal than might be conveyed by movies or friends. Finally, they are advocates for you at each turn. This will include presenting your case, arguing or negotiating your case with the other side, and ultimately battling for you in court should your matter proceed to trail. Lawyers provide an invaluable service with one goal in mind, your objectives.

You wouldn’t pull your own teeth or fill your own cavity. You wouldn’t perform surgery on yourself. Most people don’t fix their own cars or appliances. These are all things better left to professionals. The same holds true when it comes to to dealing with your Colorado legal needs. If you find yourself on the precipice of facing a divorce, custody, or child support matter, do yourself a favor and contact an attorney. Your financial future and the well being of your children deserve the same guidance and care of a professional as the other aspects of your life. If nothing more, you may gain insights, knowledge, or affirmation regarding your case, issues, ideas, and concerns.