Because the legal system will affect you for many years after your divorce, it is important that you protect yourself legally if you find yourself in a dispute over child custody, financial issues, or anything else pertaining to your divorce. Though you might not want to concern yourself with legal details at the moment, you need to understand that they are vital. You are better off learning about and dealing with them as efficiently as you are able to now, rather than living with them for the rest of your life afterward.