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Budget Divorce Kits - Are they for real? Can you really do your own divorce?

Posted: May 18, 2012

I have needed to file for divorce for three years, but cannot afford to hire an attorney. I've called around and have found that an uncontested divorce will cost $1200 through an attorney which I simply cannot afford. Not to mention, my (hopefully soon to be) ex-husband will definitely contest everything and that will drive up attorney fees which is why I never considered budget divorce in the past because I knew my ex and I would never agree on anything. However, I have some leverage now that I can use to get him to sign the papers so that I can file myself, but I want to make sure that I do everything write. Basically, my ex-husband is out on parole and as part of his parole, he's not allowed to drink alcohol and must submit to random urine tests (he drinks routinely and tries to "cleanse" the alcohol out of system before visits to his PO by drinking vinegar and water mixed with a little bleach (!)), he supposed to have a job or file for disability (yeah right!) and he has done neither, and also part of the reason his parole was revoked in the past was because he was caught buying alcohol for minors which I know for a fact he has done recently and was told by the clerk (who is a friend of a friend) at the convenience store where he bought the liquor that he bought and she saw him give to a minor in the parking lot.

So basically I am planning on filling out all the pertinent divorce papers and custody papers and I am going to threaten to have a conversation with his parole officer if he doesn't simply sign the divorce papers and let me and my daughter be free. I plan on taking my maiden name back and move on with my life.

So anybody ever done their own divorce or know anyone who has? How did it work out?

Thanks!

;

That's funny - See message

[ In Reply To ..]
My ex-sister-in-law is a paralegal in San Diego affiliated with some of the most prestigious law firms and attorneys in the area. She specialized in family law and has (had?) her own business which specifically helps women struggling financially to file for their own divorces. I believe she just set up a website promoting her business, in fact.

If you'd like, I can check with her to see if she is still active in this area and email you back her contact info if she's still in the biz (understandably I don't want to put family info on blast here on the forum).

Let me know if that would help you.

I live in Missouri so I'm not sure how much she could help, but - SM

[ In Reply To ..]
I appreciate the offer and if she had any advice that would be great. I was looking at some of the do it yourself forms online and it would be nice to be able to ask someone if I'm doing it right. :)

My divorce lawyer - let me make payments

[ In Reply To ..]
and I had to pay him before we went to court. This was a million years ago, though, and in Kansas. My son had a budget divorce, but he and his ex agreed on everything and had it written up before they went to see the attorney. I'm not being very helpful, but just wanted to wish you the best of luck, take care and stay safe!

Divorce kit - anon

[ In Reply To ..]
I don't know what state you live in, but I got my divorce in Florida where I went to the county courthouse and bought the papers from them. They even waived the $400 filing fee because of my income (we all know we make so much money, hahaha). We had already agreed on property settlement and our kids were all grown so we didn't have custody issues, so I don't know if that would be a problem for you or not. Check with your county courthouse and see what they offer.

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