"My case seems so simple.  Do I really need to hire a divorce lawyer?"

That is a question I hear over and over again.  Prospective clients often believe their family law case to be simple, so they question the need to spend money on a qualified matrimonial lawyer.  I usually answer that question with a personal story.

A few years ago a small light bulb went out on the dashboard of my car.  Although the car was out of warranty, I took it to the dealership and asked how much it would cost to fix the problem.  "Well, Mr. Owens, it will cost $2 for the light bulb, plus $58 in labor."  To me that sounded outrageous, so I decided to do it on my own.

I typed my problem into Google and found the appropriate technical service bulletin (TSB).  I followed the TSB perfectly and switched out the light bulb.  Then I turned on my dashboard lights, which lit up like a Christmas tree!  I was so proud of myself for saving money by solving the problem myself instead of paying money to a qualified auto mechanic.  But that is where the trouble started.

I started the engine and turned on the air conditioning.  Although the engine started, the air conditioning would not work.  So I went back to Google, typed in the latest problem, and found a supplemental TSB which said, "DO NOT FOLLOW THE ORIGINAL TSB.  OTHERWISE IT MAY BLOW OUT YOUR A/C SYSTEM!"

After a trip to a qualified auto air conditioning mechanic, my dashboard lights still lit up and my air conditioning system worked perfectly.  Total cost?  $1,200.

The point of the story is simple.  Do not try to do what you are not qualifed to do, no matter how simple the problem seems.  You can try to process your divorce on your own, but in the end, you may wind up spending more on a qualified family lawyer than you would have had to spend had you done so in the first place.

If you live in the Jacksonville area, please feel free to contact me and explore some creative options to your current family law matter.