Franklin Divorce Lawyers Caution Against A DIY Approach to Separation

Franklin, TN, October 3, 2014 (Newswire.com) - As part of the rollout of their specialty branch referring Franklin, TN divorce lawyers, representatives from FranklinFirm.org  are urging parties who are considering separation and/or divorce proceedings to be cautious about making any binding decisions before having consulted with legal counsel. “While it is certainly legal in Tennessee for individuals to commence separation and divorce proceedings without seeing an attorney, there are numerous reasons and situations where doing so may not be in theirs, or their children’s best interest,” states a spokesman from the site.

A statement from the website further explains that Tennesseans may also opt for a legal separation instead of a divorce, an option that may be beneficial to a number of couples. While a couple would remain legally married, the legal separation agreement may can help determine the disposition of a couple’s assets and liabilities, which may later be used if they choose to finalize a divorce. “In some cases,” explains the website’s representative, “it may be helpful, financially to both parties to remain married, especially in cases where, for example, one spouse’s job provides insurance for the other spouse.”

People think they can save money by representing themselves, and sometimes this is true; however, divorce is rarely an easy or cut-and-dry matter.

Spokesman for FranklinFirm.org

The Franklin divorce lawyers who meet with clients clearly spell out the advantages of using professional representation, especially when faced with complex legal issues such as how child support (which is required by law) will be determined, whether or not alimony will be awarded (and how much), how property will be divided, and how child custody will be determined, among other issues.  “It’s never as simple as people may initially think,” says the site’s spokesman, citing instances when couples have attempted a “do it yourself” approach to separation, only to exacerbate an already tense situation. “I cannot tell you how many times people have requested an attorney after spending weeks trying, without success, to decide on who is going to get or give what.”

In addition, according to the representative, a couple may be able to save money if they are amenable to using mediation rather than litigation. “Litigation is costly both in terms of money and emotions, which are typically running high to begin with,” he says, “so, if both parties can agree on the terms, mediation may be the best course of action.”

Regardless of what a couple is planning, nothing is going to happen quickly, no matter what the couple wants, he says, because Tennessee has a mandatory waiting period that varies, depending on whether or not children are involved. Again, he emphasizes, this is where legal counsel will be able to help navigate through the complexities. Potential clients can visit http://www.franklinfirm.org to learn more.