One of the first questions a couple asks when deciding to go through with a divorce is, “Can you get an uncontested divorce without a lawyer?” You might be one of the agreeable couples that goes into this feeling like you’re on the same sheet of music and just want to get the paperwork filed and be done. No battle. No fighting. So, can you get an uncontested divorce without an attorney involved? Let’s take a look.
Understand Divorce Law in Arizona First
First things first. There is no legal obligation to hire an attorney to handle your divorce. Second, you’ll want to get an understanding of how divorce works in Arizona, including documents and court filings, such as the Consent Decree (divorce decree by mutual consent) which gets signed by a judge. It’s worth your time to talk to an experienced divorce mediator to understand how it all works. Then, you can make an educated decision on how you’d like to proceed. You can go with a simple, affordable divorce document prep service, you can go through the full divorce mediation to make sure you get all the bases covered, or a hybrid of the two (doc prep with a little mediation thrown in). In any case, you don’t need lawyers. So, the answer is yes, you can get an uncontested divorce without your own lawyers. And, you can get an uncontested divorce with children.
Get Prepared for Your Uncontested Divorce
You’ll need to have the following figured out. If you can’t agree on even one of these, then a divorce mediation session can help you iron it out in a fair, compassionate setting.
- Child custody, co-parenting, and children’s expenses
- Spousal maintenance (alimony)
- Division of property and other assets
- Debt plan
You might also wonder, “Do I have to go to court for an uncontested divorce in Arizona?” No. If the judge accepts and signs your paperwork, there is no need to appear in court.
What To Do When Going Through with an Uncontested Divorce in Arizona
If you’ve reviewed the information above and you’re thinking that you’ll get divorced without a lawyer, here are some things to do, and not to do:
- Get your documents in order and ensure that both of you have read and understand the implications.
- Don’t make an outrageous purchase or run up big credit card bills. Don’t do anything that significantly changes your current financial circumstances.
- If there are kids involved, be sure to nurture them and keep yourself from unleashing your emotions on them.
- Don’t “lone wolf” your post-divorce plans. Talk with experts, including financial planners, therapists, clergy, you name it. Get good advice and set yourself up for future happiness and security.
- When dividing your assets, don’t overlook the retirement savings you put in place, understand the tax implications, and make sure you both have a path to keep that going.
- Take care of yourself. Practice self-care and employ stress reduction techniques.
Still Have Questions?
If you’re considering an uncontested divorce, then you’re likely coming at this in a cooperative, thoughtful manner. We can build on that and get you through this in a way that helps you and your spouse feel confident and relieved.
Give us a call at 602-714-7447 to schedule a free phone consultation. We’ll get you on the right path.