Contrary to popular belief, you can easily AND inexpensively get a divorce without an attorney in the USA and Canada. If you want to know the service I recommend right now, click here.  Otherwise, compare 2 popular divorce services here.

I’ve scoured the Internet reviewing Online divorce services, and this post tells you the service I recommend over all services.  Keep reading to learn why.

Why get a divorce without an attorney?

Two reasons:

1. Cost: Hiring a lawyer for your divorce will cost you $200 or more per hour.  The cost can easily escalate to $4,000 or more.  Getting a divorce without an attorney can cost as little as $250 plus court filing fees.
2. Speed: When you get lawyers involved, it can take much, much longer to process the paperwork.  Lawyers are busy and if you get talked into contesting any part of your divorce, then the battle-ground is drawn and the process can take years.

That said, if you and your spouse don’t agree on all aspects of your split such as assets and/or custody, then you should talk to an attorney.  However, if you do agree on all aspects of your divorce, then there is no reason to spend thousands of dollars on a divorce lawyer.  Instead, use an online service that will step you along with the forms and instructions for processing your divorce – no matter in which state you live.

The service I recommend for getting a divorce without an attorney is CompleteCase.  CompleteCase has over 250,000 satisfied users to date.  That’s quite a track record.  Click here to visit CompleteCase.com.

Here’s what you get and how it works with CompleteCase.

The cost is only $249.  Note your court filing fees are in addition to that cost.  But here’s what you get:

• You provide the details of your situation, including the state in which you live.
• Easy: Once you answer the necessary questions, your divorce forms are generated for you.  It’s pretty fast.
• The forms are up-to-date.  Note that CompleteCase is not just a form warehouse.  You get the guidance you need to get it right the first time.
• Support: if you have questions you can call or e-mail them for guidance 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• Legal Advice: If you need legal advice, they’ll get you in contact with a lawyer in your state with Live Lawyer service.
• Changes: If you need to make changes to your forms – no problem – it’s done at no additional cost.
• Form Access: All your completed forms are saved in an account with CompleteCase for easy access Online access.

CompleteCase is widely recognized as a leader for getting a divorce without an attorney.  They’ve been profiled by international, national, and local media sources such as:

If that’s not enough accolades – check out some CompleteCase testimonials from very satisfied customers:

• “Your service was the easiest that I have ever had to deal with. I would definitely recommend you to friends and family who would ever go through this.” - Eric, California
  
• “I am so glad that I found completecase.com! It’s great to have an option like this when dealing with an amicable, uncomplicated divorce – no need for attorneys when there’s nothing to hash out.” – Andrea, Texas
• “I felt comfortable in the privacy of my home for answering the questions. It is a difficult time and it was helpful to do it this way.” - Thomas, Pennsylvania
• “I have been trying for months to get my divorce final, but could never figure out how to fill out the proper forms. Thank you so much for making the process so much easier.” – Larry, Ontario

Who shouldn’t use CompleteCase for a divorce?

If you and your spouse can’t agree to the terms of your divorce then CompleteCase is not for you.  Other than that, save thousands of dollars on your divorce by getting a divorce without an attorney using CompleteCase.

What I really like about CompleteCase is it is not a form warehouse.  What I mean by a form warehouse is you aren’t buying blank “boilerplate” forms that are nearly impossible to fill out.  With CompleteCase you get what the name implies – a complete case.  You get the guidance you need so that your divorce forms and paperwork gets done right – no matter which state or province you live in.

Click Here to Visit the Official CompleteCase Website

End of this get a divorce without an attorney post.

After all, you don’t hire a divorce lawyer or prenuptial lawyer every day.  Who should you hire?

If you’ve been divorced already, you may or may not wish to hire your last lawyer – depending on how that divorce went for you.

But even if your last divorce lawyer did a decent job, do they prepare prenuptial agreements often?  Are they up-to-date with the latest prenuptial agreement laws?

Why Should You Seek Out Prenuptial Lawyers for a Prenup Agreement?

Most people think you need to wealthy in order for an investment in a prenuptial agreement is worth it.  This is a myth.

If you make a healthy income or have significant assets, a prenuptial agreement may be right for you – especially if you earn or have more than your significant other.

Another unfortunate prevailing attitude is that getting a prenuptial agreement is a defeatist, pessimistic, and cynical view toward upcoming nuptials.

In my view, this is the wrong way of viewing prenuptial agreements.  Anyone who enters a marriage believing 100% it will not end in divorce is not being objective.  No marriage is a sure-thing.  On the flip side I certainly don’t believe dwelling on marriage failure either.  All I’m simply saying is if you’re even a little objective, everyone getting marriage must acknowledge there is a chance it could fail.

Moreover, many cultures view marriage more as a financial arrangement than an emotional bond.  In my view, practically speaking, marriage in the West is also a financial arrangement – whether it’s discussed or not.

Therefore, given marriage is in fact a financial arrangement, it makes sense to take steps to protect any financial advantage you’re bringing to the relationship.  This is what prenuptial agreements are designed to do.

One Fast Way to Get a Prenuptial Agreement

Ever since the Internet hit critical mass, there have been 3 ways to get a prenuptial agreement prepared.  They are:

1. Hire prenuptial lawyers in your area.
2. Find a boilerplate prenuptial agreement form for sale and fill in the blanks.
3. Hire a prenuptial lawyer service to prepare a prenuptial agreement over the Internet.

There are advantages and disadvantages to each approach.

The main advantage to hiring a local prenuptial lawyer is you get the in-person service.  However, you pay dearly for that personal time.  In my view, the only time hiring a prenuptial lawyer makes sense is if you have great wealth and/or a complex situation.  If this is you, look for a family law lawyer to create a specialized prenuptial agreement to meet your needs specifically.

The only advantage with a boilerplate prenuptial form where you fill in the blanks is the cost.  You can find blank legal documents for very low cost.  However, you will have no idea whether the boilerplate prenuptial agreement will hold up in court or how to complete it.  As you can tell, I’m not a huge fan of fill-in-blank boilerplate prenuptial agreements.

The third way of hiring prenuptial lawyers is to use a prenuptial agreement legal service that has family law lawyers on staff who work with you.  The three advantages of hiring a prenuptial lawyers through an online service include:

• it costs less than hiring a lawyer on your own;
• fast-service (you can often pay for a 2-day express prenuptial agreement preparation); and
• you get actual legal input in the preparation of your prenuptial agreement (versus using a fill-in-the-blank boilerplate document).

Unless you financial situation is extremely complex, I like the idea of hiring prenuptial lawyers through a Internet legal services provider.  Obviously you won’t know if your situation is too complex – but the online legal services provider will let you know if you’d best be served by hiring your own lawyer.

Who Prepares Prenuptial Agreements Through the Internet?

There are many online legal service providers offering services over the Internet these days.  Some are great, some are not so great.

The one service that is one of the most popular and offers a wide array of services is LegalZoom.  This service was founded by lawyers and has lawyers in its employ.  In fact, due to their volume of work, they have prenuptial lawyers who are knowledgeable in that area of law who will work with you in preparing your prenuptial agreement.

• visitation with grandkids (i.e. spending time with grandkids), and

• getting custody of grandkids.

These are two very different issues that fall under “grandparents’ rights.”

This article explains both  issues and offers resources to assist you.  I’ll start with visitation.

1.  What are grandparents’ rights with respect to visitation with grandchildren?

Please keep in mind that each jurisdiction differs on this issue, however, typically as long as parents are good parents and the kids are not being harmed by not seeing their grandparents there is little grandparents can do to change the situation.  Grandparents do not have legal rights to see their grandchildren.

Courts give parents a great deal of discretion when it comes to parenting and raising children.

The test courts usually apply in nearly every issue involving children is “what’s in the best interest of the children (grandchildren with respect to the grandparents)?”  One could argue plainly that visiting with grandparents is definitely in the best interests of the children.  That’s not always the case and courts find that giving parents a great deal of latitude is in the end i the best interests of the children.

Take the following scenario for example.

Parents of two children aged 6 and 8 are divorced.  The children live with their mother and visit their father 3 weekends each month.  The mother’s parents have not seen the children for 6 months.  They aren’t pleased.  The main reason the grandparents don’t see the children is the children visit with their father.  The court would likely hold that visiting their father is more important than visiting with grandparents.

Now consider the situation where grandparents were once custodial guardians because the parents were not seen fit to parent and/or the parents disappeared.  Then the parents or parent returns, has rehabilitated; become fit for parenting and is granted custody again.

In this case, the courts would more likely hold that because the grandparents were so involved in the children’s lives thatconsistency and stability for children dictates the grandparents should remain involved in the children’s lives.

The burden is on the grandparents to show that the best interests of the children are to visit with grandparents.

Solutions for grandparents

Maintain good relationships with the kids (parents of the grandchildren);

Hire a divorce / family law mediator; or

Learn your grandparents’ rights to visitation with your grandkids.

2.  When can grandparents get custody of grandchildren?

Again, apply the best interest of the children test. There is no question that courts grant parents a great deal of latitude here.  The burden to show that custody with grandparents is in the best interests of the children is on the shoulders of the grandparents. It’s not an easy burden to prove.

However, there are circumstances when grandparents will be granted custody.  Obvious situations include:

• parents are in jail;
• parents die;
• parents are unfit typically due to substance abuse; and
• parents abuse their children;
• parents are unable to feed, clothe, and shelter their children (i.e. provide the necessities of life).

This is not an exhaustive list.

It’s not always easy for grandparents to gain custody; they must prove that it’s necessary.

If it’s shown the parents are not fit, then the grandparents may be subject to a custody evaluation.  It’s not a sure thing that grandparents will be a court’s first choice for custodial guardianship.

That’s why, if grandparents seek custody, they must be know their grandparents’ rights for custody.

Going through a separation with your spouse is tough.  Getting divorced can be devastating.  Paying attorney fees can be crippling.  If you and your spouse can manage to work together, you can save thousands of dollars getting a divorce without an attorney.

It is not required by law that you hire a lawyer to process your divorce.  In fact, the divorce itself is simply a matter of filing the necessary paperwork with your local court system.

Why pay a lawyer thousands of dollars when you and your spouse can just as easily get the necessary paperwork, fill it out, sign it and file it with the courts?

Getting a divorce without an attorney does require cooperation

Okay, it’s not all a piece of cake: you and your spouse have to agree to the terms of your divorce.  Terms can include child custody, child support, spousal support, visitation times, and property division.  Unless a situation is dangerous or there is a great deal of money involved, failing to cooperate to get a divorce will result in a major waste of thousands of your dollars.

Guess what? If you hire a lawyer, you and your spouse will end up negotiating through high-priced lawyers.  You will not get all that you want; both of you will compromise.  The saying “if both parties walk away unhappy it must be a good deal” applies to divorce negotiations as well.

Keep in mind

You can always get legal advice at any stage.  In fact, it’s a good idea to consult a lawyer for an opinion about your rights generally.  That does not mean you need to hire a attorney to do your full case.  Learn your rights generally, then avoid the long and expensive process of divorce court.

Divorce tools

If the two of you just can’t quite agree on the terms, you could consider hiring a divorce mediator to assist the negotiations.  A mediator is a person who works with both of you; he or she does not take sides.  Instead a divorce mediator is knowledgeable about divorce and family law and therefore can assist in acting as a quasi-judge.

Before your divorce is finalized, you can negotiate and complete legal separation papers so there is documentation of your separation.  The legal standing of a separation differs from state to state.

Divorce agreements are helpful in getting the terms you and your spouse negotiate written down on paper so everyone is clear to the divorce terms.  Again, you do not need an attorney to draft and complete a divorce agreement.

You can also use uncontested divorce forms to help you get the proper paperwork filled out and filed so you and your spouse can complete the divorce.

Doing Your Own Divorce Can Solve All Legal Issues

Regardless of the legal issues involved in your divorce, you can – without a lawyer – create a divorce agreement that encompasses child visitation, child custody, child support, alimony, property division, and any other legal issues.

Then, once an agreement is executed, all you need to do is fill out the no-fault divorce forms and wait for your divorce to be processed by the court.

If your divorce situation is not violent and there is not a great deal of money and property involved, seriously consider doing your divorce without a lawyer.  You will save thousands in legal fees, and in many cases when lawyers get involved it can get extremely emotionally charged.  Moreover, the last place you want to finalize your relationship is in a trial.

If you do your divorce without an attorney, you’ll avoid the courtroom showdown.  It will spare you, your spouse, and your children the very difficult and often public event of a courtroom divorce battle.

Why hire a divorce mediator?

There are 4 excellent reasons for hiring a divorce mediator:

1.  Information

They are knowledgeable about family law and so can explain to you what a court could well decide.

2.  Save money

you hire them for one or a few sessions to hammer out a deal.  This amounts to paying for 4 to 20 hours of their time.  Maybe more, depending on the issues involved and how far apart you are.

However, even at 20 hours the cost for a mediator is far cheaper than both of you hiring a lawyer and battling it out in the courts.  Legal fees for one divorce lawyer, if it goes through a full 1 week trial can amount to more than $100,000.  If both of you hire a lawyer, that’s pretty much your entire house going to the lawyers.

3.  Speedy resolution

You and your spouse can negotiate the terms quickly and get an agreement completed in a matter of weeks.  When you take your divorce through the courts and it goes to trial, your case can drag on for years.

4.  You’re in control

If your divorce case goes to a trial, you lose control of the outcome.  Going to court means handing the entire decision-making to a judge.  When you mediate, you control whether you agree to the terms.

5.  Kept private

If you go to court, your divorce becomes a public matter.  When you mediate, it remains between you and your spouse.

How to hire a divorce mediator

You and your spouse must agree on a mediator if you decide to get a divorce without an attorney.  You can ask people you know and consult / interview a number of mediators until you both agree on a person.  Decide up front whether you want someone who is a practicing lawyer.  Some jurisdictions don’t require that divorce mediators be lawyers.

Every mediator has their own style.  Two main approaches are (1) proactive, and (2) liaison-style.

A proactive mediator will go so far as to propose terms and explain how it’s similar to what a court will decide and how the law supports the terms.

A liaison-style mediator will be more like a guide in the negotiation; more as a liaison and try to get you and your spouse to arrive to agreeable terms on your own.

Decide up front what style you think will be more effective for you.  Keep in mind that mediators can approach a mediation in a number of ways – so you can ask that they be proactive or be more of a passive guide.

That said, many jurisdictions now require all people who hold themselves out as family mediators to have completed some mediation courses.  Feel free to inquire about a person’s qualifications and experience.  Even ask for references – i.e. past clients.

Who you hire is a big decision because there can be a lot involved.  Divorce is  a big step and big decisions are made.  Be sure you are comfortable with your selection.  However, there’s no rule against you and your spouse trying a new mediator if you make a bad choice.

The mediation process

Once you hire your mediator in order to get a divorce without a lawyer, you’ll schedule a single visit or a series of visits.  The person you hire is not going to take sides.  Their job is to simply smooth out negotiations between the two of you.

1.  Your mediator will start out gathering information about your circumstances. Try not get into the blame game.  Instead, explain rationally as possible your circumstances so your hired mediator understands the facts and then can give you guidance.

2.  Once the facts are known, depending on the style, the mediator will then explain the issues in legal terms – i.e. child support, property division, alimony, and so on.

3.  A mediator may then cut to the heart of the matter and propose terms or work on guiding you and your spouse to coming to agreement on your own.  Generally, the mediator will explore solutions based on what you and your spouse reported.

4.  Once you both agree to the terms, is reached, the mediator can get the paperwork (i.e. an agreement) together for you both to sign.  A signed agreement ends the relationship.  Whether they can assist you with the divorce paperwork depends on the jurisdiction.  You can of course ask if you don’t wish to do your own divorce.

It’s important you understand that if your matter does not resolve, the mediator, if a lawyer, cannot represent either of you.  You will then need to each hire your own lawyer, unless you can resolve the terms of your divorce.

There is risk involved

The one risk when going through mediation is if you don’t resolve your matters, then you spent money on a mediator and will also have to spend money on a lawyer.  That said, given the success rates (i.e. resolution rates of divorce mediators), it is well worth the risk if there’s a chance for resolution.

Hire a mediator at any stage

If you’re well into litigation and the costs are going through the roof, you can still try mediation.  In fact many jurisdictions include mediation as a step in litigation.  Maybe after going a few rounds with lawyers you and your spouse will have more luck negotiating an agreement.

Even after your divorce is final and you’re disagreeing with the agreement terms – perhaps there are visitation issues arising – rather than hiring expensive lawyers, hire a mediator to quickly and cheaply solve the issue.

When shouldn’t you go through mediation?

If there is absolutely no way you and your spouse can agree on anything, then perhaps a mediator is not the best course to take.  Some times two people are so fundamentally opposed that no persuasion or negotiation will work.  If that’s the case, then save your money for the divorce lawyers.

Most situations are negotiable and can be solved with a good mediator.  If you simply can’t agree to the settlement terms on your own, think seriously about hiring a divorce mediator to quickly, privately, and relatively cheaply resolve your divorce without an attorney.  Avoid making a bad situation worse by going court.