If you’re a parent, some of the most important decisions you will have to make in your divorce or separation are those dealing with child custody matters. You may be wondering if you should hire a lawyer or if you can save the expense and negotiate the terms of custody and visitation with your ex yourself. Here’s a look at some of the risks that not working with a divorce lawyer presents and how to choose a qualified divorce attorney to help you. 

Factors To Consider 

Hiring a lawyer for your Florida child custody case can be expensive, especially if your ex is contesting the issue(s) at hand. If you’re on a tight budget, representing yourself may seem like the only option. But it’s imperative to consider the potential costs associated with representing yourself in court and whether those costs will ultimately outweigh the money saved by opting out of legal representation. 

Not having a lawyer can also impact your case in other ways, like extending the length of time it takes to reach a resolution or negatively affecting your children. If you’re not well-versed in navigating the family legal system on your own, you may not be comfortable with formal court procedures like filing motions, responding to requests from opposing counsel, and completing all the necessary related forms accurately and submitting them on time. 

What Happens If I Don’t Have A Lawyer? 

If you attempt to manage your child custody case without hiring a lawyer, there’s a significant potential for incomplete forms, missed deadlines, and other critical issues that affect the outcome of your case. This could result in your ex getting custody of your children and potentially even being denied visitation depending on the circumstances of your case.

If you don’t have an attorney, you will need to talk to your ex’s legal team yourself and present evidence to support your case in court. This could lead to not having enough evidence or unwittingly giving your ex ammunition they can use against you in court. If you end up litigating your case, you’ll have to cross examine your ex’s witnesses. Unless you’re already a family lawyer, this usually isn’t possible to do on your own. 

For qualified family legal representation in Naples, Florida, contact Kevyn Noonany Hayes, P.A. by calling 239-591-6248.