If you and your spouse have remained amicable since mutually deciding to go your separate ways, you may not find it necessary to hire an attorney. However, this assumption will leave you sadly mistaken. Follow along to find out why you still need an attorney for an uncontested divorce and how a proficient Morris County divorce lawyer at Graves Andrews, LLC, can be of assistance to you.
What is an uncontested divorce?
Put simply, you and your spouse may have an uncontested divorce if you have zero disagreements over your divorce.
For example, before you file for divorce, you and your spouse will have the opportunity to negotiate the terms of your divorce settlement agreement. These proposed agreements may regard child support, child custody, spousal support, and division of assets, among other divorce-related terms. And if you are immediately agreeable, you and your spouse may decide to opt for an alternative dispute resolution method, such as arbitration or mediation.
With arbitration, you and your spouse will present arguments and evidence to an arbitrator, and they will make judgments and decisions that are legally binding on your behalf. And with mediation, you and your spouse will decide on all divorce issues as a neutral third party, otherwise known as a divorce mediator, fosters these conversations.
Do I still need an attorney for an uncontested divorce?
While arbitration and mediation are alternative divorce methods that occur outside of the courtroom, this is not to say that your arbitrator or mediator cannot be an attorney. In other words, we recommend that you employ a talented Morristown family law attorney to serve as the third party of your negotiations because we will ensure that your settlement agreements are properly squared away before they are submitted to the New Jersey court as an uncontested divorce. And with that, we will assist you and your spouse with any and all files that are required to be brought forward.
Another example is to say, for instance, that your spouse is the one that is filing for a divorce. They will then present you with their desired divorce-related terms in their proposed settlement agreement. Again, we recommend that you employ an experienced Morristown family law attorney before you even consider agreeing to these terms. This is because as soon as you agree to not contest these terms, your spouse will finalize them. And after that, if you realize that some of the terms are unfair or unreasonable, it will be rather difficult to modify them.
With all of these points considered, we urge you to reach out to our Morris County family law firm as immediately as possible. Rest assured, we will work in your best interest throughout the entirety of your uncontested divorce. Call us today.