People seem to always to to know how to get an online divorce. Or how to get divorced using a website. There are so man divorce websites out there, how do you pick? There are some things you need to know what starting an online divorce in Illinois.
Infobit #1: There is no online divorce in Illinois
If you want to get divorced online, there is something very important you need to know.
There is no such thing as an online divorce in Illinois.
If you do want to start a divorce in Illinois, then you’ve problem Googled something like “Start a divorce in Illinois,” ” getting an Illinois divorce,” or maybe even “Illinois divorce without a lawyer.”
Pretty much anything you Google that includes the term “divorce'” generates search results that include a ton of Google ads for websites such as the following:
- divorcewriter.com
- instantonlinedivorce.com
- onlinedivorce.com
- 3stepdivorce.com
The URLs above are inherently misleading. For example, several of the websites imply that you can get divorce online. You cannot do so in Illinois. Further, they imply that divorce is a 3-step process. That interesting, because to get divorce you need to discuss terms with your spouse, draft several documents, execute all the documents, file everything, go to court, and more.
Infobit #2: Questionable Owners
I suggest you try to research who owns those websites stated above.
I tried to before.
One of the websites seems to be own by a Deleware corporation, and in turn, that corporation seemed to be owned by a company in India.
And this is a company that owns a website that collected everything needed to steal your identity. Your birthday, social security number, address, driver’s license number, and more.
Does that seem like a good idea?
Infobit #3: Get same stuff at the library
Those online divorce websites don’t have a brain. They just mechanically take info you type and plop it into some forms.
Do you think that’s what a lawyer does?
I get why people think lawyers are too expensive. But even mediocre lawyers I run into attempt to put thought into their work.Don’t let your distaste for lawyers fool you into using some silly, scammy website.
In fact, if you don’t want to enjoy the benefits that come with hiring a lawyer, just go to the law library at the courthouse. In Cook County, for example, the Daley Center has a large law library on the 29th floor. The librarians there will give you all the forms you need to get divorce in Illinois, and you will then be free to screw up your divorce on your own – without the interference of a website with dubious owners.
Tidbit #4: Just hire a lawyer
I’m going to tell you something that might seem like BS, but believe me, it is 100% true.
As a flat fee uncontested divorce lawyer in Illinois, people often contact me and they want me to review documents they got from one of those sham-type online divorce websites.
I tell them that for a tiny fee I can review everything and provide a brief summary. But before I even see the documents, I tell them what the outcome is going to be: I will review the documents, spot major holes and legally problematic clauses, and point out contingencies and possible consequences they hadn’t considered.
And that is exactly what happens.
The reason it is so easy for me to tear apart those website documents is because, like I explained above, those websites are just inserting your information into forms.
After I review the documents, I’ll often pose questions to the client such as “What will happen if . . . .? And “Did you realize that when you state ABC, that means XYZ?” They are often surprised.
When you use a website to prepare divorce forms, you are likely to run into numerous problems, including but not limited to a) binding yourself in ways you do not understand, b) failing to get everything you want, c) wasting time going to court with the wrong documents, only to have to come back later, d) unnecessarily exposing yourself to future litigation.
For a flat fee, we represent clients in uncontested divorces in Illinois. That means for one reasonable fee, you can get a fast and affordable uncontested divorce – and it usually takes about 1 month. With a lawyer!
To find out a bit more, you might check out this article about Top 5 Questions for Starting Uncontested Divorce in Illinois.