Do I Need an Attorney for My Divorce?

San Jose Divorce Lawyer Explains the Benefit of Finding Legal Counsel

Getting divorced is a stressful time for everyone involved, kids and parents alike. Do not add to the stress of it all by trying to represent yourself in your divorce proceedings — the process is complicated and emotional. You will gain immeasurable benefits from having an experienced San Jose divorce lawyer at your side to guarantee that your rights are not infringed upon.

With a combined 17 years of experience in family and criminal law, the attorneys at the Law Office of Daniel Jensen bring unparalleled dedication to each and every case with the same enthusiasm as the last. They are wholly devoted to bringing you peace of mind by providing you with impassioned expert legal assistance for divorce available in central California.

Top Five Reasons to Hire a San Jose Divorce Lawyer

There are several reasons to hire an experienced divorce lawyer, but here are the top five:

1. Keep tensions lower. Getting divorced is emotional for both parties — it is only natural for tensions to be high. This tension will exist regardless if you hire a lawyer or not, but it has the potential to be disastrous when it comes to self-representation. Having an impartial expert by your side protecting you every step of the way will lower the pressure you feel.
2. Ongoing consistent support. Along with protection, a divorce lawyer can be of great help during the whole process. Divorce proceedings tend to be tedious and hard to understand at times — especially if child custody or domestic abuse is involved. Instead of trying to find your way through self-representation, it is best to have an experienced divorce attorney present to explain details throughout the duration of your divorce proceedings. Further, a divorce lawyer can also provide you with beneficial options that you may not have known existed.
3. Protection. If you are a victim of domestic violence or other threatening behavior from an individual, an experienced divorce attorney can offer protection in the form of legal options. For example, a restraining order can ensure safety for you and your loved ones.
4. Avoid mistakes. Not only is it beneficial to hire a divorce lawyer, but you should consider hiring someone local. A San Jose divorce lawyer will know all the rules and regulations of the county and state; this knowledge will ensure that you meet all deadlines, avoid unnecessary delays, and have all proper forms signed before the hearing or prospective due date.
5. Expertise. A lawyer’s extensive education and background equips him or her to protect individuals and their loved ones to the maximum extent of the law. A divorce lawyer’s expertise in family and criminal law can help secure that which is most important to you. Further, it is important that you get along personally with whomever you choose to represent you. You will be working closely with one another during the often long and intense process involved with getting divorced.

Do I Need a Lawyer for Family Law Mediation?

For the same reasons that you should hire a divorce lawyer to help with divorce proceedings, you should have your own legal counsel when it comes to divorce mediation. During mediation, you will meet with your spouse in person while a trained family law mediator is present. Mediation is a form of alternative dispute resolution that can help divorcing couples work together. However, just because a couple decides to try the mediation process does not mean that both parties should forego a lawyer.

While the mediator will work to facilitate a negotiation, it is highly recommended that you still employ the use of a divorce lawyer. He or she will act as a legal consultant of sorts. This means that you can bring any forms or questions to your attorney that were brought up in your divorce mediation that you would like explained and/or looked over.

At the Law Office of Daniel Jensen, we understand and respect the rules of divorce mediation. How to proceed in divorce or other family law mediations is entirely up to you — we will simply provide support in the form of legal advice and expertise. We can help you prepare for your mediation session beforehand as well as review and go over with you in detail any documents given to you in mediation sessions before you sign them.