#1 MISTAKE TO AVOID WHEN FILING FOR DIVORCE WITHOUT AN ATTORNEY

IMAGINE THIS SCENARIO

You married your high school sweetheart, but the marriage didn’t work out as planned.  It happens. You and your spouse decide to call it quits.  

The breakup is amicable, so you opt for a Do-It-Yourself Divorce.  You complete the court papers, sign on the dotted line, and file them with the court.  Done! 

FAST FORWARD 3 YEARS

You meet someone (“The One”).  You become engaged and set the date.  The wedding plans are going along smoothly. 

Now it’s time to get the marriage license.  You head down to the courthouse with application in hand.  When you arrive, you excitedly hand the clerk your application, she checks her computer and says, “There’s just one problem...you're still married!

Oops! Believe it or not, this happens quite often.  Ask any of the clerks down at the courthouse and they'll tell this is the most common mistake made by self-filers. 







THE MISSING PIECE

So, what went wrong?   Simply put - you didn’t ask your judge to end the marriage.  

At the end of every case, the petitioner ( the person who filed for divorce) must file a few final forms with the court asking for a judgment of divorce.  These forms vary depending on each case.   Without this last step, the divorce is never finalized.

THE MORAL OF THE STORY
As it turns out, Mom was right.  You gotta do your homework!  

SO, WHERE DO YOU START?

There are so many resources out there to learn about filing for divorce.  It's easy to become overwhelmed.  We always recommend visiting your local court's Self-Help section of their website to start.  You'll find a lot of useful information there.  Many courts also have self-help clinics to guide you through filling out the paperwork.  

You may also find our article Do it yourself Divorce - How do I start? helpful for learning how to get started.

We've put together a checklist of the most important documents needed to complete your court forms.  Download your ⇛FREE Checklist HERE⇚



MORE RESOURCES
Other related articles from our blog:  Can I File for Divorce without an Attorney?   Divorce On A Budget   5 Simple Steps to Hiring the Perfect Paralegal

Court links: Orange County Family Law Court

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About the author:  Cherryl Rudy has been preparing legal documents at Attorneys Best Choice since 2007.  Specializing in Divorce and Family Law, Attorneys Best Choice is a Legal Document Assistant in Orange County, CA.  Please Contact Us if you would like more information on our services.