At Affordable Legal Services, a division of the Piatchek Law Firm, our attorneys can complete your cooperative, uncontested divorce case quickly, efficiently, and affordably. We understand that a divorce is a scary and frustrating time, and money is often an issue during this period of change. We also know that for many couples, both spouses agree a change is needed, and both agree that hiring two attorneys to fight over kids, property, and other issues may not make sense. These couples simply want the divorce to be completed quickly, simply, and at a reasonable price. We have spent the last several years handling exactly these types of cases, and we have the process streamlined so that we can handle your Missouri divorce case promptly for a reasonable, flat fee. Click here to get a free quote for your uncontested divorce.
Please note, while our main offices are located in Springfield, our Missouri attorneys handle cases for clients throughout the entire state. In fact, we may be able to offer better rates than many attorneys in Missouri – especially in some of the larger markets like greater St. Louis and Kansas City, where costs of services may be much higher. Additionally, we can often be competitive with rates in smaller towns or rural areas, especially in areas where local attorneys are scarce and there is not enough competition to regulate prices.
That being said, please understand that while we try to make our prices “affordable,” this does not necessarily mean “cheapest in town,” and it certainly does not mean “free.” We pride ourselves on providing the very highest quality of legal services at a reasonable, flat fee. We are cost-considerate counsel for those who need help with simple, uncontested divorces.
What Is a Cooperative, Uncontested Divorce?
First of all, it is important to clarify exactly what we mean when we say “cooperative, uncontested divorce.” There are many shades of grey in the world of divorce law, and there are many different levels of agreement or disagreement that can occur. In fact, even the term “uncontested divorce” has many variations. There are similar terms and phrases out there, all of them more or less seeking to describe a similar set of circumstances. For example, all of the following terms describe the same approximate thing:
- Uncontested Divorce
- Cooperative Divorce
- No-Fault Divorce
- No-Contest Divorce
- Amicable Divorce
- Agreed Divorce
- Agreed-to Divorce
- Collaborative Divorce
- Quiet Divorce
- Quickie Divorce
- Quick Divorce
All of these terms seek to describe a case in which there are no major disagreements or a case where there is some level of agreement between the parties. However, we prefer to use the term “cooperative, uncontested divorce,” because we feel it best describes the kinds of cases we handle and the types of clients we typically assist.
The term “uncontested divorce” simply means that no one is actively contesting. However, that alone does not necessarily make the case quick or simple. What if the other party won’t cooperate or can’t be found? Certainly those are not simple, quick cases.
To make uncontested Missouri divorce cases simpler, quicker, and cheaper, both parties must be in agreement, actively cooperate with one another, and be willing to do what is necessary. A lot of time and money can be wasted when a husband and wife are more interested in fighting than fixing the problem at hand and moving on.
The Divorce Process
Here is something that you may not know: there are local rules in about 45 counties in Missouri that allow our firm to handle your cooperative, uncontested divorce without having to go to a single court hearing. For this rule to be invoked, typically all of the following conditions must be met:
- Both parties agree on all aspects of the divorce (assets, children, etc.)
- Both parties sign all documentation necessary to complete the divorce
- One of the parties hires an attorney
If your county has this Missouri divorce rule (or some variation of this rule), and if both husband and wife meet all of the above conditions, you should be able to hire our firm to handle your cooperative, uncontested divorce. If you have any questions about whether or not your county has such a rule, please view the list at the bottom of this page. In addition, please keep in mind that we can only represent one party in a divorce; we do not represent both parties. We almost always represent the petitioner in these cases.
Can’t I Just File My Own Divorce?
In our experience, most individuals who attempt to file their divorce with no legal representation do not succeed. They typically give up early on when (1) they don’t know how to find forms, (2) they find forms that are not appropriate or usable in their county, or (3) they realize that the forms can be confusing and complicated. Others that make it to the actual filing process may not know how to file properly, and they may have the case rejected if it is not filed correctly. Of those who do file correctly, some may have their case dismissed by a judge because they did not follow procedure, they completed the divorce documents incorrectly, or they did not fully complete the forms.
Finally, out of the handful of people who are able to file themselves and see the case through to completion, we find that most must spend many, many hours studying, thinking, and talking to the court clerks to ensure that everything was completed correctly. And even then, we have seen cases where the divorce documents contain the sorts of mistakes that are only discovered later on. Then, when the mistake is finally discovered – typically when someone dies, real estate is to be sold, or disagreements arise between the parties about property or children – the person must hire an attorney to fix the issue.
Considering the amount of time and frustration required to complete a divorce correctly on your own, we think you would be better off simply having an attorney handle the case for you. When you hire a licensed Missouri attorney, you can trust that the job will be done right. At Affordable Legal Services, we handle cooperative, uncontested divorces at reasonable, flat rates, and we handle these cases in a quick, simple, and transparent manner.
Don’t Risk “Legal Doom” by Filing Your Divorce Through an Online Legal Service
In our experience, filing a divorce online through a non-attorney legal service (or through a non-attorney “phone” or “forms by mail” service) is actually worse in many cases than attempting to do it yourself. Not only does it present many of the same problems, but you will also spend more money to do it!
When you represent yourself, the worse that usually happens is that you waste your time and lose the filing fee when you can’t complete your case. However, when you use a non-attorney service, the consequences can be far greater. You might end up paying several hundred dollars for a pile of papers that you simply cannot use – and then you find yourself right back where you started. Depending on where the process went wrong or what went wrong, you may have to hire an attorney to clean up the situation.
If you have to hire an attorney, it is almost always more expensive to fix a case that has been completed incorrectly than to just do it right the first time. We know from experience because we have fixed many divorces that were not started by our firm, and it is almost always more complicated than starting a brand new case.
Many people who have tried to do their own divorce or paid a service for forms or help end up failing, and we have been hired to clean up many of these situations. While we are happy to help, we simply want you to know the risks of these different avenues before you decide which way to go.
Contact Us Today
If you are interested in having your cooperative, uncontested divorce case handled professionally, quickly, and affordably by an attorney licensed in Missouri, please call or email us anytime to speak with one of our attorneys today. You can also contact our law firm using the box on the right-hand side of this page.
* The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely upon advertisements. Neither the Supreme Court of Missouri nor The Missouri Bar reviews or approves certifying organizations or specialist designations. Certain cases may be referred, or may involve outside co-counsel arrangements, in which event you would be notified.
