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Dallas Divorce Lawyer | Dallas Family Law Attorney
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Q: Do I need a Dallas divorce lawyer?

A: A spouse can file for divorce in Dallas or Fort Worth, Texas without the help of an attorney. However, filing a petition for divorce pro-se (by yourself) is not recommended for many reasons. First, Courts and their staff handle numerous cases, and pro-se parties often cause the Court process to slow down significantly due to a pro-se party's lack of knowledge about the law, procedures, and preferences of particular judges and courts. Therefore, Courts encourage litigants to hire an attorney to ensure that the correct documents are filed and proper procedures are followed. Second, many individuals believe that they can avoid the expense of hiring an attorney by preparing and filing divorce documents themselves. Unfortunately, individuals who attempt to prepare and file documents typically find the process overwhelming and ultimately may make mistakes that negatively affect or significantly delay their lawsuit. Finally, to complete the divorce process, at least one party must appear before the judge to "prove up" the divorce. The prove-up involves specific evidentiary procedures, which if not followed properly, could result in the divorce being disapproved by the judge and delayed until the proper evidence is presented.

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For more information, or to schedule a free consultation, please contact the Dallas divorce lawyers at Reed & Riordan, PLLC today. Call (888) 229-8985

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