Should you self-represent during a divorce?

If you are going through a divorce, you may wonder what your options are to receive the best possible outcome for you and your children. During this already emotional, contentious and often financially draining time, the thought of rehashing all your marital problems with a stranger can be overwhelming. Self-representing means that you speak for yourself during divorce proceedings. However, great consideration should go into choosing this option.

Here are some reasons that someone might consider self-representing during their divorce in Connecticut, as well as some risks.

Reasons to go forward with self-representation

Sometimes, couples separate on good terms and do not have anything that they plan to fight over. Amicable divorce cases are much safer to self-represent than cases where there is tension and disagreement over things like child custody and the division of assets. If you believe that you will receive pretty much the same outcome representing yourself versus hiring an outside mediator, it might be a reason to consider that option.

Another reason you might opt to represent yourself includes having a less complicated divorce with minimal paperwork.

Risks of self-representation

However, there are risks to going this route. For example, most people are not well versed in the many legal subtitles that surround divorce. In addition, representing yourself and building your own case can take a significant amount of time, so much so that any cost savings may not be worth it.

Carefully consider the pros and cons before deciding to represent yourself in your own divorce.