DIY (Do It Yourself) Legal Services

“People generally see what they look for, and hear what they listen for.”
― Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird

People hear scary stories about the cost of lawyers and the divorce process which creates fear about asking for legal help. Many couples think their situation is not that complex so they should be able to divorce without help. It is possible to complete some divorces without legal help. At the same time, after years of family law practice, I’ve seen all kinds of problems created when divorce and parenting terms weren’t well thought out or carefully expressed in agreements.

If your budget is tight, you can get limited legal help with your divorce process. You may select only the attorney services you need. Meetings are online or in person. Carol D. Betts Family Law & Mediation PLLC offers “unbundled” legal help such as:

Legal consultation on an hourly basis

  • Do we just divide everything 50/50? What is community property? Get answers to your legal questions.

Mediation Support

  • Are you representing yourself in a mediation process? Get help understanding the law, clarifying goals, developing mediation proposals and discussing strategy.

Drafting documents, parenting plans and agreements

  • Get help so your documents accurately reflect your agreement, account for details and don’t create opportunities for future conflict

Reviewing drafts of documents

  • Get a review of proposed agreements or orders so you can be sure they say what you intended and aren’t missing important details

Assistance with finding and filling out forms

Calculating child support

Conflict Coaching

Sometimes you may just need to work through one issue. Conflict arises in marriages and after marriage between parents. You may have tried to discuss the issue but the communication isn’t working. In conflict coaching, Carol will work with you to become clear about your needs, interests and feelings in the conflict. Once those are clearer, you’ll identify strategies for addressing the conflict on your own. This isn’t therapy or legal advice. It is designed to enhance your ability to manage conflict in an effective way. In targeted low-cost hourly sessions, you’ll gain insight and discover strategies to manage a specific conflict.​