The Risks of DIY Family Law Solutions

The outcome of a family court case can be life-altering, significantly impacting your family’s daily lives after the final judgment. Unfortunately, many families facing family court cases seek a more budget-friendly option for their case by choosing Do-It-Yourself legal services rather than experienced legal representation by a skilled family attorney in Denver.

While a low-cost option may sound appealing, and DIY legal services use reassuring ad tactics to boost their sales, in the end, a DIY family law solution may be far more costly to your family, both financially and in terms of the long-term impact the outcome has on your family. Call Ciancio Ciancio Brown, P.C. at (303) 451-0300 to speak to a legal professional today.

What Are DIY Legal Services In Family Law?

Family law covers a wide array of legal issues that arise within families, including divorce, legal separation, child custody, child support, alimony, prenuptial agreements, adoption, property division, and estate planning.

DIY family law services provide low-cost alternatives to experienced, professional legal representation by providing blank court forms and templates for determining child support payments, alimony, protective orders, estate planning documents, and more. Examples of well-known DIY legal services include LegalZoom, LegalShield, Trust & Will, Rocket Lawyer, and Law Depot.

What Are the Risks of Using DIY Family Law Services?

Although it’s not impossible to succeed in obtaining your legal goals through DIY family law services, the blanket forms provided often do not accommodate all of the details unique to each case’s circumstances, resulting in the additional expenses of attorneys’ fees for correcting mistakes, regulatory violations, problematic filings, or the use of an improper legal document provided by a DIY legal service.

These common DIY mistakes have adverse outcomes in a Colorado family law case. The risks of using DIY family law solutions rather than hiring an attorney include the following:

• Many DIY ads make legal processes seem far more straightforward than they are
• DIY services take a “one-size-fits-all” approach that lacks the customized legal language required for the unique circumstances of every case
• A family court judge will not adapt their courtroom to accommodate inexperienced DIY representation; instead, they expect anyone representing themselves to know the court’s proper procedures. A Colorado judge will continue to conduct the case the same way they would with a competent attorney
• DIY legal documents may not meet the various filing requirements of different states
• DIY legal forms and documents include statements protecting the company from liability should problems arise from the use of their forms
• Many DIY forms lack necessary details, customized language, and the personalized tailoring a case requires to obtain the desired outcome

DIY legal services do not bear responsibility for negative or unforeseen outcomes when a person uses their forms and legal documents instead of hiring an attorney.

Long-Term Consequences for DIY Family Law Solutions

When a judge signs an order in family court, it’s binding and enforceable. Family court judges issue orders for property division during divorce, child custody, spousal support, adoption, and many other judgments with tremendous impacts on all aspects of a family’s life moving forward.

Requesting modifications and making appeals after an unfavorable judgment is costly, time-consuming, and often futile. It’s critical to succeed in obtaining your desired goals when you initially present your case in court through a well-executed legal strategy crafted by an experienced attorney. 

How Can a Colorado Family Court Lawyer Help?

Low-cost DIY family law services may sound appealing, but they often end up costing far more in the long run than hiring an experienced attorney. DIY services acknowledge that their offerings do not replace the advice of a lawyer. Taking on a family court case without legal representation is risky and can quickly become overwhelming.

Call Ciancio Ciancio Brown, P.C. for skilled representation by an attorney who protects your best interests throughout every step of your family law case.