You reach agreement through discussions with your spouse or partner without professional assistance.

Benefits/Advantages of doing it yourself:

• You may feel that you are more in control
• The initial cost is low
• The Family Law Facilitator in the courthouse can provide some basic help at no cost
• There are resources available on the Internet, in book stores, and in libraries

Risks/Disadvantages of doing it yourself:

• Your matter may be complex, which can create challenges; for example, if you have a house, business, retirement accounts, or stock options
• If your dispute ends up in court, the judge will expect you to know the legal rules
• When you are submitting your final agreement and all required documentation to the court, you are expected to know what is required and when and how to submit it
• You have no help with communication challenges with your spouse or partner
• Your decisions may not be well informed
• You may make mistakes that are costly to fix