Online divorce is legal in most states when the divorce is uncontested. It is a low-cost legal alternative for couples that decide to split amicably.

In this Low Cost Legal guide we will help you decide if online divorce is the right option for you.

How Does Online Divorce Work?

Online divorces are offered by do-it-yourself legal services such as US Legal and LegalZoom. The service handles all of the paperwork and often begins with a questionnaire-type format. The purpose is to gather information that will be used for court filings in the state in which you reside.

Even couples with children can pursue an online divorce. The forms you fill out can include everything that is usually in a divorce settlement such as;  requests for child support and alimony and cover issues regarding the custody of the children and other assets. Of course, there must be no dispute between the individuals. If there is a dispute, and one spouse hires a divorce attorney to contest the divorce, you won’t be able to continue with the online divorce.

Once the online forms have been completed, the divorce service prepares forms for your state and mails them to the each spouse. These forms must be signed by both spouses and notarized by a person authorized to do so in your state. When the paperwork has been properly signed and notarized, it can be delivered to the courthouse. In most cases, the divorce court will proceed with the divorce without either party having to appear, but there are exceptions. If you are required to appear, you’ll be contacted through the contact information provided on the forms.

Pros and Cons of Online Divorce

The major reason some consider online divorce is that it is a low-cost legal alternative to hiring a divorce lawyer. Most online divorce services charge less than $500 while hiring attorneys to handle the paperwork and court appearances can cost $2,500 or more, even in uncontested divorces.

The downside of an online divorce is that one side might get treated unfairly by not fully understanding the process. For example, a father might not get the level of custody he was expecting or a mother might not get the amount of child support required. In some cases, an unscrupulous spouse could obtain a divorce fraudulently by forging documents. The divorce would be illegal and not binding, but it will cause a lot of hassle for the unsuspecting spouse.

If you and your spouse are in complete agreement about all details of the divorce, then an online divorce might be a good low-cost legal option and might be a good way to save on attorney fees, for both of you. If you have concerns about online divorce, it might make sense to seek the advice of a low-cost divorce attorney who can answer your questions and give you a reliable direction.