If you decide to file for divorce, you probably hired an attorney to help you with the process and, hopefully, your spouse did the same. Otherwise, it can directly affect you. Here are four reasons why:

1. The Process Takes Longer: If your spouse has no experience with divorce laws, then the process is going to take longer for the simple reason that they are going to need more time interpreting everything. On top of this, since your spouse won't be aware of the deadlines, this can also mean waiting longer for certain paperwork to be filed. 
2. More Work: Chances are, your spouse is going to make mistakes when filling out certain paperwork that pertains to the divorce. This means more work on your attorney's end because they will have to correct it. This even further delays the process because your attorney will have to get in contact with your spouse and have them make the changes, which can take some convincing if your spouse is adamant that they won't make the changes. 
3. Communication is Off: Since your attorney will be dealing with your spouse directly instead of their attorney, there can be a great deal of miscommunication going on. This is especially true if your spouse is wary to meet and communicate effectively with your attorney, which is most often the case since they believe that their rights in the divorce will be taken out of their favor. In some situations, your spouse may even feel that your attorney should be helping them, which they actually cannot because of a conflict of interest. 
4. Court Dates are Prolonged: Most likely, the court dates and the process are going to be longer, as well. Most likely, you will have to get to the point in your divorce where court is needed since mediation may be difficult with your spouse advocating for themselves. When you get to court, the process is often delayed either because your spouse does not show up or they will not be prepared. It can even be frustrating because your spouse will be speaking while your attorney speaks for you, which can be challenging when you might want to retaliate back. It's important to remain calm and have your attorney prepare you for dealing with these emotions, as well. 

If you know your spouse is not going to hire an attorney, you might talk to your attorney on your own about how to handle this in your specific situation. You might want to talk to your spouse directly if you are still on good terms about why they should hire an attorney for the process. Contact a law firm, like The Healy Law Firm, for help.