Do It Yourself Legal Forms

Legal Documents and Contracts Without a Lawyer – Proceed with Caution

In this information age, the internet is the first place many people go to get news, information, find a store, product, or service, including legal services.  Today, many people are even searching for and finding do-it-yourself legal forms.  The internet is a valuable resource, but there are limitations to what should be utilized.  Legal documents and contracts are complicated and ought to be drafted and reviewed by a lawyer. However, many people are taking the risk and using internet forms to fix their own legal problems without professional help. Should you?

Do it yourself divorce? According to Google there are over 4 million monthly searches for “dissolution of marriage forms”

In addition there are over 200,000 monthly searches for power of attorney forms, and thousands of searches for making your own will, do you own will, last will and testament forms, etc.

That is a lot of people trying to do their own legal work without an attorney.  But, is this practice wise?  Sure, it saves you money, or does it?  Who prepared these forms, are they even approved by an attorney licensed to practice law in Tennessee? Most of the time what you find on the internet is not written or approved by an attorney, certainly not a licensed Tennessee attorney.

The above examples  very rarely involve simple issues that should be reduced to a fill in the blank form.

Divorce Involves Many Legal Issues – Have Professional Help

A divorce or dissolution of marriage typically involves property rights and creditor issues, often times a divorce involves custody of children and child support.  Are these issues really something that you want to deal with without the benefit of sound legal advice and counsel?  What happens if you don’t prepare the documents correctly or don’t think about an issue until after the divorce is granted and final?  Then you’ll have to retain a lawyer to straighten out the problem.  What if a debt is not properly dealt with and the creditor sues you after the divorce?  Or what if child custody issues were not properly resolved?  Did you know that in order to modify a final child custody decree you have to prove a substantial and material change in circumstances?

Hazards of  A Power of Attorney Form

What is a Durable Power of AttorneyA power of attorney is perhaps the most powerful legal document which has ever been created.  It grants a person the absolute authority to act as if that person were, in fact, you.  Should you really execute a power of attorney form without the counsel of an attorney who can advise you?   Is a power of attorney what you really need? Perhaps there is a better  solution to your issue.   A Power of Attorney can be hazardous, why take the risk?

Do it Yourself Will May Be Worthless

How to make a will  Making your own will, is it really as simple as filling in the blanks with a pen, or completing the downloaded questionnaire?  Our law firm receives many calls from clients who “need a simple will“, however most of the time that “simple” will is much more complicated than the person realized.  We have also encountered a number of do-it-yourself wills that were not properly written and could not be probated.  Of course the person that wrote it was deceased.  Seek legal counsel and let a professional attorney write your Last Will and Testament.

Most legal issues are not as simple as they might appear.  It is always best to consult an attorney in any legal situation.  Doing it yourself may save money in the short run, but often times costs more in the long term.    Attorneys are trained and experienced in dealing with legal matters much like surgeons. Think about it: Would a person get a book on do-it-yourself surgery?

Remember this: the internet, and even this blog, is not a substitute for good face to face legal advice from a lawyer.  Contact an attorney today.

Learn about people who have engaged in Do-it-yourself legal work – Should have had a lawyer...