Sunday, August 25, 2013

Pro Se Divorce Litigants - the Good, Bad & Ugly

The good news is pro se divorce litigants can receive a favorable decision from the family law judge. The bad news is just because you have the right to represent yourself doesn't mean you will win in divorce court. The ugly is strictly this - too many pro se litigants go to court totally unprepared.

The American Bar Association and over 1200 judges that were interviewed say that pro se litigants lose more than they should in divorce cases. So often the pro se litigant doesn't receive a favorable decision from the divorce judge - the ABA explains some of the reasons. 


The American Bar Association says, “Not knowing the legal requirements or procedural rules, omitting important signatures, not following Court schedule, missing deadlines are but a few of the problems that Pro Se litigants experience.” 


The Judges responded by saying, pro se divorce litigants are struggling and often lose more than they should in divorce court.  Statistics also show that a large percentage of pro se litigants leave the courtroom with their bucket half empty. 


A few other problems that weakens a pro se litigants divorce case can't be blamed on the judicial system; (They don't know the Statute of Limitations in their State, (2) They don't know how to fill out interrogatories, and (3) They don't know how to serve papers legally on their spouse. All it takes is a click of the mouse to find the answers on their State's Government website under divorce or family law.


The laws of our land do say one has the right to represent himself, but there are many responsibilities that accompany that law. If you want to receive a favorable decision from the divorce judge, you must be prepared to back up your statements in court with evidence or hard facts. Study family divorce law, build your case and learn courtroom protocol. Pro se litigation seems to be the new fad - but buyer beware.  


Representing yourself requires a lot of hard work. Most State government sites offer workshops and a variety of venues that will assist you in preparing your divorce case. There is a company ( www.caseboss.com) not launched yet that has 30 openings available for those contemplating or going thru divorce. 


They are offering the use of their site free of charge for 1 year, no hidden charges. If you've never had experiencing building or creating a case - send their team an email and they'll be glad to get you started. 



Divorce is tough and pro se litigants have one day in court and a small window of time to present their case to a family law judge. Don’t end up in divorce court with a bunch of lose papers, receipts and sticky notes – build a case that is airtight and strive for a favorable decision from the judge. Quit shuffling thru papers, learn how to organize documents by day, time and subject – learn how to create specific reports, tag information and prepare a strong case.  

Go to www.caseboss.com   the service is free for one year for people contemplating divorce or going through divorce - there's a great team at your fingertips to answer questions and guide you for 1 year.
As Always,
Little Tboca

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