California allows you to file for divorce without an attorney and for a small number of people, that is a reasonable choice. But the legal process of filing is not the same as the legal process of divorcing. The paperwork is only the beginning. What follows, property division, support, custody, debt, retirement accounts, business interests,  is where the decisions get made that people live with for years. Whether you need a lawyer depends less on whether you want one and more on what your case involves.