Divorce Lawyer Edmonton | Do You Need A Lawyer To Divorce
There are many myths, misconceptions and misunderstandings when it comes to divorce and separation, says divorce lawyer Edmonton expert Janan Jarrah at eLaw Alliance in Edmonton. Not only do the laws change quite frequently, with the last changes being in 2022. But a lot of information we get about divorce and separation comes from friends, who have different circumstances or who are living in different provinces.
Or from media, like movies and television that are primarily from the United States. This is why many people, or couples who are thinking of divorce or separation should talk to an expert.
They will be able to get unbiased, accurate information for their unique situation and set of circumstances says divorce lawyer Edmonton Jarrah. However, nowhere does it say that people must retain lawyers in order to get a divorce. It’s very possible, and if a couple’s circumstance is uncomplicated, uncontested and amicable, then it may actually be a good idea for people to forgo the time and expense of a lawyer, and do all paperwork and filing themselves.
Divorce Is Usually Complex
However, most people don’t have uncomplicated situations, or there are children and property in the union, which makes the situation not only complicated, but the obligations of the parents to the child must be met. This is when hiring a great divorce lawyer Edmonton will come in handy. Even if the parents are amicable, separating and ensuring they are upholding their children’s rights is very important.
Even property must be handled differently when a couple is married, which is why married couples may want to seek legal advice to get separated or divorced. Even when they agree on the terms and are amicable. As well, couples should note, that in some circumstances, spousal support may be warranted, and they should only proceed with a divorce on their own if they are very aware of their rights, and what they want.
Contact Alberta Courts For Files
Therefore, it couples truly want to divorce without a divorce lawyer Edmonton expert, they simply need to file the correct forms, which can be found for free online at www.albertacourts.ca. There is even a helpful checklist for people to follow to help them prepare the correct documentation. However, people are strongly urged, that this is only a guideline, and does not replace independent legal advice.
The first item on this checklist is to have the correct file names for the emails that are sent with all the appropriate documentation. If people are unsure of what to name it, there is a helpful guide here. The next items on the checklist are about proper document format. Divorce lawyer Edmonton Jarrah says people should be very careful, as not following this list can lead to the filing being rejected by the court, and having to start over from scratch.
Divorce Lawyer Edmonton | Filing For Divorce Independently
The documents must each be attached to the email in their own separate file, and not be password protected in anyway. They must be PDFs, not PDF/A, and each file must not exceed 100MB. The documents must be Optical Character Recognition (OCR) searchable, and finally, says Jarrah, the divorce lawyer Edmonton expert at eLaw Alliance. The pdf file must have a bookmark with accompanying description.
The next item on the checklist is to have an invoice from paying for your court filing, which also can be obtained online here. Finally, you must check off that you will only submit documents once, and submitted a minimum of two days before your hearing date. If you file multiple documents, you will be subjected to multiple fees. Then, check off that you certify that the documents you are submitting meet the outlined criteria, and sign the form.
If you do have any questions, please know that you are always welcome to contact divorce lawyer Edmonton experts at eLaw Alliance, not only do they have a free one hour consultation. And if you decide that you prefer having an expert do all the filing, and be the ones that show up in court on your behalf, instead of doing it on your own. You can retain them right from your initial consultation if you would like. However, there are other helping agencies that you can contact as well.
Help Is Available
The Elizabeth Fry Society is free legal help for women, and anyone can contact them at efrynorthernalberta.com, Legal Aid Alberta, which isn’t free, but is discounted, if you aren’t able to afford retaining a lawyer at Legal Aid Alberta. There is also the Edmonton Community Legal Centre at eclc.ca, which helps people whose low income is a barrier to accessing legal services.
If people want to access the Family Law Act of Alberta, or the Divorce Act of Alberta, and read what it said, it’s available for free on the CanLii website – the largest free legal database in Canada. You can also access Duty Counsel on days where you are scheduled to appear in court. Find out more.
Contact Us
There’s no need for people to not have the legal help and guidance they need. So if you and your soon to be ex spouse or partner decides to divorce amicably on your own, it should be your own, informed decision, not done out of need or lack of funds. If people have any more questions regarding divorce or separation, they can contact their own divorce lawyer Edmonton expert at elawalliance.com/contact-us/.