If you foresee that you will need a divorce, there is a strong possibility that you might be tempted to go pro se. A pro se divorce means that you sit down, print off the legal documents you will need from your county clerk's office to file for a divorce, and write in all of the pertinent information necessary to your situation. You pay the fees and file the divorce and then have your spouse served. It is a pretty simple and straightforward process, or so it would seem. You can also hire a divorce lawyer to help you with your paperwork and divorce proceedings. Here is why you may want to avoid the pro se divorce and spring for the lawyer anyway. 

Easy-to-Miss Stipulations

You are not a lawyer. Ergo, you will miss a lot of things that require addressing in a divorce, and these stipulations can mean everything from moving forward with your life peacefully to spending the next decade or two in and out of court battling with your ex. If you hire the lawyer from the start, every last thing that could possibly go awry in a pro se divorce cannot go wrong in the attorney-assisted divorce. 

Everyone Wants the House, Car, Kids, and Cash

Spouses always try to grab whatever they can get from the divorce. These situations really bring out the ugly in people, and that is understandable since it leaves emotional nerves raw. However, in a pro se divorce, you can ask for it all, but it will be the judge who says what you can have and what you can keep. If you get a lawyer involved, the lawyer can make detailed and valid legal arguments as to why you should be allowed to have the kids and the house and why your ex should pay you child support and/or alimony. You are more likely to get what you want out of the divorce when you have an attorney fighting for you.

Guardians Ad Litem Can Paint Some Unpleasant Pictures of People in Court

If a guardian ad litem is assigned to your family to represent the needs of the children, you can expect to hear not-so-flattering things in court. This official is not to take sides between you and your ex, but his/her job is to still investigate and report back to the judge who the best parent is to have placement and custody of the children. You cannot fight what the guardian ad litem says if you choose a pro se divorce because you do not have a lawyer's license. A divorce attorney, however, can dispute what the guardian ad litem says and give you a proper defense and a fighting chance to get the kids. 

Visit websites like http://gomezmaylaw.com/ to learn more about what a divorce lawyer can help you with.