A Pro Se party is a person who represents himself or herself. Oftentimes, a Pro Se party will not consult with an attorney and will rely on the advice of non-attorneys such as family members, friends, neighbors or court personnel who are not licensed to give legal advice.
This can be problematic as serious mistakes can occur which cannot be corrected or can be very costly and difficult to correct.
For example, errors can occur in not knowing the law and/or rules of evidence and court procedures, not understanding the tax ramifications of a divorce, failing to budget correctly, not having a specific parenting plan, not understanding retirement accounts, drafting an agreement that is too general, not taking into account future events such as a bankruptcy, not understanding the distinction between a property versus an alimony award, not disclosing assets or debts, relying on incorrect financial affidavits, miscalculating child support and so on.
A person going through a divorce oftentimes will allow his or her emotions rather than logic rule when making decisions. He or she may want the divorce over with and will agree to a settlement that is not in his or her best interest nor in the best interest of the children.
In order to prevent a bad result with your divorce, you should consult with an attorney, such as myself, to find out what your options are. Otherwise, serious mistakes can occur which cannot be corrected or can be very expensive and difficult to correct.
