Divorce Lawyer Basics

By Staff Writer

Divorce Lawyer: Do I Really Need One? - If you are facing a divorce, you may consider trying to represent yourself. Divorce lawyer’s can be incredibly expensive. It may be tempting to avoid this financial cost by not hiring a divorce lawyer and proceeding on your own. In general, this is an extremely bad decision. Unless you possess a legal degree or training, you may overlook certain rights which you have under applicable law as well as fail to ascertain your responsibilities. In many circumstances, if you fail to ask for certain relief, you may waive your right to receive the same. For example, in some state’s, awards of support are made retroactive to the date on which they were first requested. If you do not know this, you may fail to make a request at the earliest available opportunity. When a support award is finally made, you could have waived your right to receive substantial amounts of back support. Divorce law can be incredibly complex and is full of pitfalls for the unwary. By hiring a Divorce Lawyer, you will ensure that your rights are adequately protected.

Divorce Lawyer: How Do I Find One? - Depending on the area of the State where you reside, you could have many or few options. The best way to begin searching for an attorney is to do your research. You should ask friends and family members for referrals, research the Yellow Pages and other materials where attorney advertise and begin scheduling attorney consultations. Many attorneys offer free or reduced cost consultations before they are actually hired. At this consultation, you will be able to meet with the attorney, ask questions and get a feel for if the particular attorney is right for you. Regardless of reputation, you should be comfortable that you will be able to work with, and follow the advice of the divorce lawyer you ultimately retain. If you are uncomfortable with the attorney, your divorce case will not only be more stressful, but you could fail to relay critical information to the attorney, thereby prejudicing your case.

Divorce Lawyer: Can I Hire A New One? - It is not uncommon for parties to hire an attorney only to later doubt their decision. While you have the right to change lawyers, you should be incredibly careful in doing so. Unfortunately, parties who have hopped from lawyer to lawyer, tend to be seen as difficult and unreasonable. This could make it difficult in finding a new lawyer and could prejudice your case. If you are going to change attorneys, you should do so as early in the case as possible. This will ensure that your new attorney is fully apprized of the facts and circumstances of your case.