It is just you at the kitchen table with a cup of cold coffee when you have this thought running through your mind, “My marriage doesn’t work anymore.” You feel your heart racing. Your head is full of questions great number of them,
That’s how it is with divorce. It is so your thing, your life, that a lot of people inside their heads decide that they can solve the problem themselves. However, what you have to understand is that in some cases you definitely need an attorney. In other cases, you may be able to handle it by yourself. It would be great if we could figure out the circumstances under which you would really have to make a call to a professional in Nashville capable of dealing with your divorce situation.
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When You Can Probably Go Solo
Not every divorce law needs to hire a lawyer. I know, I know, it’s a little bit strange to hear that from someone who is talking about the hire of an attorney. But it is a fact.
If your marriage was short, you don’t have kids, and you and your ex-to-be actually get along pretty well, you might be able to handle things yourself. Let’s say you’ve been married for two years, you both have decent jobs, and you’re splitting an apartment lease and maybe a used car. No real property to fight over. You’re both reasonable people. In that scenario? Tennessee allows something called an “uncontested divorce,” where you can handle most of the paperwork yourself without a lawyer standing over your shoulder. You can contact our divorce attorneys in Nashville today.
The legal stuff is there. Its not really enjoyable, but it’s present. The money you need to pay for filing your case is not far from reasonable. You complete the paperwork, submit them to the local court, wait for the time that has to be respected, and boom, you are divorced. End of story.
Here’s Where Things Get Sticky
Now let’s flip the script. You’ve got kids. Maybe you’ve got a house with some real equity. You’ve got retirement accounts, a car that’s actually worth something, or maybe you have a business that you built together. Your ex-spouse suddenly thinks they deserve half of everything because you made more money during the marriage. Or they’re threatening to fight you for primary custody of your kids.
This is when you need an attorney. Period.
Why? Because the stakes just got way higher, that’s why. When kids are involved, family court judges in Nashville get very serious about your case. You can’t just wing this part. Your children’s living situation, their schooling, how much time they spend with each parent, these decisions stick around for years. A mistake here isn’t just expensive in lawyer fees. It’s expensive in ways that affect your actual life for the next decade or more.
Same thing with property. Say you and your spouse built a business together, or you’ve got a house that’s appreciated in value since you bought it. Tennessee law is pretty specific about how things get divided, but it’s not simple. “Divide it equally” sounds easy until you start asking questions like: What about the business debt?
Choosing the Right Attorney
They must be acquainted with local court systems in Nashville and know the law of Tennessee properly. The matter of decision is the experience. You should have a lawyer who has already been through this and not someone who does it occasionally in the background.
Look at the reviews online. Make a few calls to offices and during your first meeting check how they treat you. Are they not giving you a proper time? Do they listen, or are they just presenting their services while you talking? Do they use terms which you understand or are they giving you jargon?
The right lawyer is a person who makes you feel safe and secure. They have to tell you the truth about the value of your case, what you could gain or lose, and whether, in their opinion, you should be represented or handle some things yourselves. If good attorneys think that you overcomplicate something that is actually simple, they will tell you. They will not simply accept your money and prolong a procedure unnecessarily.
When Your Gut Tells You to Hire Someone
Sometimes you just feel it in your gut. Your spouse has gone ahead and hired a lawyer, so you are thinking that they must be getting some advice that is not in your favor. Yeah, you should also get a lawyer. If not, then in essence, you will be attending a chess game where you don’t even know the rules.
Perhaps it is just an idea that your ex-spouse may act badly. They lose their temper. They have threatened you. They are being unreasonably difficult about custody and money. You can feel that the situation is getting worse instead of better. When you start to feel that the atmosphere is becoming unfriendly or frightening, it is a signal that you require someone who knows the court system and can safeguard your rights to be with you.
What if you’ve got complicated finances? Maybe you own real estate, or one of you is self-employed, or you’ve got investments. Figuring out what’s “marital property” that gets split and what’s “separate property” that stays yours gets confusing fast. An attorney can walk you through it and make sure you don’t accidentally sign away something you wanted to keep.
Bottom Line
Divorcing is a difficult experience and it becomes doubly so when one is not sure about the legal decisions that have been made. In case your marriage was simple and you are amicably related to your ex-spouse, then you may be capable of managing it on your own.
Still, if there are kids, a huge sum of money, or any kind of disagreement involved, then you must absolutely get a lawyer. Think of it in this way: if you aren’t able to fix your roof, you’d definitely get someone to do it for you. Likewise, you would get a mechanic to fix your car. Divorce is just as complex and, therefore, should be given the same level of consideration.
