The Self-taught Lawyer: 5 Situations that Don’t Require a Family Lawyer

It is natural to reach out for a lawyer’s help when you or your family are confronted with a legal situation. There are certain instances that require a lawyer’s expertise. However, there are also situations where hiring a lawyer is not only costly but takes more time than doing it without one. Here are five situations you can handle on your own without the help of a lawyer.

1. Someone has written something negative about you

The majority of businesses and even everyday citizens or families have something unsavory or another linked to their name. Remember that if it has not cost you enough to warrant the court and lawyer fees, it is not worth suing over.

You do not need a lawyer to get someone to retract something that has been relatively unharmful to everything save your pride. No one is going to remember the retraction, anyway.

2. When filing certain motions in family court

The little things can usually be done without a family lawyer’s help. For example, if you have already finished a custody struggle and need to file a motion to show that your ex is not paying child support, you do not need to pay a lot of money to go through a lawyer.

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The evidence in such cases is self-evident. Little discovery and virtually no mediation is required.

3. The neighbor is crossing property line

It is common for a neighbor to let his or her plants find their way over to your side of the property line. If you have established that property line and have documents to show it, you can likely get away without a lawyer. Kindly discuss the property line regulations with your neighbor.

If your neighbor complains in a court of law, you still likely do not need a lawyer, as long as you can provide evidence of your property line. Take photos of the before and after of the offending plant life as well to be safe.

4. Establish new child support

Parents often have to go back to court to prove an ex-spouse is making more money so that they pay more child support. You do not need a family lawyer for this. There is minimal paperwork and each parent will have to provide proof of income.

All you have to provide is your proof of income and perhaps some expenses.

5. Collecting a debt

You and your family likely rely on the income you or someone else in the household brings in. When some of that cannot be recovered because someone owes you money, you probably want to get it back. Do not go to a lawyer to send out a demand letter. That is far more costly and less effective than just going to court and filing the necessary small claims paperwork yourself.

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Remember that these are just a few examples of instances where you do not need a lawyer. Be sure to find out where you stand before calling a lawyer. Do seek a family lawyer’s help in the case that you or your family are in a serious legal situation.