About 2.3 people out of every 1,000 get divorced in the United States. Divorce is increasingly common as families deal with financial challenges, work stress, and other issues inside the marriage.

If you’re getting a divorce, one of your first decisions is to decide whether to hire a divorce attorney or not. You might think that it’s not necessary because of the friendly relationship you have with your soon-to-be ex.

It turns out that even in the best situations, you should hire an attorney to handle your divorce case. Read on to discover five reasons why you should hire a divorce lawyer.

1. You Don’t Know Your Legal Rights

Your ex isn’t likely to try to mess up your life through the divorce process. They’re going to try to get what serves their best interest.

Their best interest could infringe on your legal rights and you might not know it. You could end up giving up child support, custody time, or other financial support because you didn’t know what you’re entitled to.

An experienced divorce lawyer can help you through the process and protect your legal rights.

2. An Attorney Can Speed Up the Proceedings

Divorce lawyers are efficient and understand family law. They look for the best solution that will resolve the divorce case as soon as possible.

You don’t want the case to drag out any longer than it needs to. A good divorce attorney ensures that it doesn’t.

3. Take the Stress and Emotions Out of the Divorce Case

It doesn’t matter how well you get along with your ex. Divorce cases can take you by surprise and be highly stressful and emotional experiences.

This comes in handy because you could make a bad decision out of anger. That type of reaction can happen in divorce cases.

When you have a good divorce lawyer by your side, they can help you see the facts without the emotion attached.

They can guide you toward making a smart decision than a bad reaction.

4. Streamlined Communications

Not only can the divorce lawyer take the emotion and stress out of the proceedings, but they can help improve communications, too.

It’s essential to have open communication during a divorce. That’s not always possible with some couples, so it’s best to have the attorneys handle the communications.

5. The Paperwork in Your Divorce Case Is Correct

Anytime you file a lawsuit, there is a mountain of paperwork that goes with it. One small error on the paperwork and your case takes longer.

A judge or court clerk could throw out the case or tell you to file again because of the error. That increases your costs and the time it takes to finalize the divorce.

Hire a good divorce lawyer and you’ll have the paperwork filed right the first time.

Don’t Wait to Hire a Divorce Attorney

A divorce attorney can make the difference between a long, emotional process and a smooth process with less stress. You know that you have someone on your side who has your best interests in mind.

Be sure to read the other articles in the Family Law section of this site.