Filing for Divorce - Do It Yourself

Some people are mystified by anything legal and rush to hire a lawyer to take care of the problem. Not so for most of my clients, who are usually interested in proceeding in the most economical way. It's part of a mindset that says "We can learn how to do this" even if we've never encountered it before.

The courts in Maryland have made it easier to file "pro se" i.e. representing yourself, in divorce. The official court forms are on-line and can be printed out and filled in.

See for yourself at http://www.courts.state.md.us/family/forms/domrel.html. And there are real live people at the the Family Division in the Circuit Court in each county who will answer your question if you get stuck.

Weddings

As a mother of two girls, I've always known I might need to pay for two weddings. When developing a Parenting Plan, divorcing parents who have daughters should include that question in their discussions, along with whether they will share the cost of a higher education.

Books to check out

He's History, You're Not: Surviving Divorce After 40 (Paperback)
by Erica Manfred

Two Homes (Paperback)
by Claire Masurel and Kady MacDonald Denton (Illustrator)

Was It the Chocolate Pudding?: A Story For Little Kids About Divorce (Paperback)
by Sandra Levins
(Author), Bryan Langdo (Author)