Harton Law Firm                  307-382-5545

Many people are interested in self-help resources to assist them with their legal problems.  Since hiring an attorney is generally quite costly, people would like to learn how to do some of their own legal work.  Some people of course have no choice, since they simply cannot afford an attorney at any cost.

Self-help resources include books, software, forms and even on-line courses that are a combination of all three.

Some areas of law that may be suitable for handling without the assistance of an attorney are:

• Uncontested divorce (especially without minor children)
• Enforcing a child custody order
  
• Name change
• Forming a Corporation or LLC
• Wills
• Powers of Attorney

Every person that needs legal information, advice, or services would benefit from using or reviewing some self-help resources.  Even if a person chose to hire an attorney thereafter, they would be a better educated consumer of legal information, and would be able to help their attorney do a better job on their case.

Some areas of the law should never be done without the assistance of a lawyer:

• Criminal defense - You are dealing with your freedom, and other rights that are too important risk losing.  If you cannot afford an attorney, the court will usually appoint a public defender to represent you.
• Contested child custody cases - You are dealing with your children's lives here.  If you can't afford the attorney's fees, borrow the money from friends or family, charge it on a credit card, sell something or get a second job.
• Hire a custody lawyer, don't do this yourself, especially if the other side has an attorney.