Getting a divorce or dissolution of marriage can bring with it great family feuds, and hiring a lousy divorce lawyer to handle your divorce papers and forms should not add to the list of troubles that come with having to separate as a family. Therefore, finding the best divorce lawyer is a vital decision when going through a divorce process. When one hires the best attorney, they will go through the divorce with confidence and probably as quickly and with the best advice as possible. A strategy needs to be in place to ensure that you hire the best lawyer.Â
You may decide to do a DIY divorce, but a divorce is not recommended without an attorney involved because of all the paperwork and legal matters. According to Fournier law, to avoid fighting two feuds, one with your soon to be ex-spouse and another with your divorce attorney, there are several mistakes that you should avoid when hiring a divorce attorney for your case.Â
Hiring a divorce attorney who does not have time for you
You need to find a lawyer who will create and have time for your sessions and any inquires you may have. A lawyer who does not have time for you is a major red flag when hiring a divorce lawyer. When conducting meetings to determine which lawyer you will use, they will all brag and boast about how they will always have time for you and be at your beck and call. Because of this, it may be tricky to determine who is being honest with you through the smokescreen.
A great strategy to determine a lawyer’s commitment is to make your first appointment earlier in the day. Then on the same day, call the attorney’s office and leave a message with the attorney’s secretary that you have questions and issues about which you would like to inquire. Wait and see if the lawyer gets back to you. This way, you can determine which lawyer is actually determined to help you with your divorce process. To be safe, make sure you do have questions to ask the lawyer. If the attorney does not call back, it is advisable to continue your search for the best attorney.
Conducting emotional interviews with attorneys
A divorce, even if you are the one asking for it, comes with lots of emotions. It is a horrible decision to interview divorce lawyers while in a highly emotional state because you will end up being a victim of this pitfall. To avoid this kind of situation, you can take the following precautions:
- Bring a friend or a family member to help you through the consultation. This way, you will not be emotionally deceived, and your friend or family can help keep the meeting focused on the information you need.
- You could also decide to be patient and wait until you are in control of your emotions before you start conducting interviews to get a divorce lawyer.Â
When you are emotional, selecting a divorce lawyer can result in poor decisions, or they may take advantage of your situation, exaggerate the cost of divorce, and advise you poorly on certain choices when you apply for divorce. It is best to use either of the above solutions to choose the best attorney for your divorce. Emotions cloud judgment, and if you are only thinking of getting your divorce over with, lawyers may see through this and take advantage of you.
Choosing the wrong type of divorce attorney
One has to clearly understand the type of divorce they want before they start taking interviews to decide on the attorney. For starters, if you want an online divorce, maybe because you are not willing or ready to see your partner, then you should get a lawyer with expertise on the application for divorce online so that you may get the best online divorce service. Working online may be out of your comfort zone, and therefore you need a lawyer who fully understands your needs.
Another instance is if you want an amicable divorce and end up hiring an aggressive lawyer that will push you into trying to get more, resulting in a messy and expensive court battle. On the other hand, you may hire a lawyer who has never tried a case, and if your spouse is unreasonable and ready for a fight and a lengthy divorce proceeding, you may end up getting the short end of the stick. Quite simply, it is imperative to hire a divorce lawyer with a fair amount of experience in the type of divorce process you intend to achieve or have been bulldozed into going through by your spouse.
Failing to choose a divorce law attorney
Just because you have a friend or a cousin who is a lawyer doesn’t mean that you should use them instead of seeking a family attorney. One of the greatest mistakes people make is to hire a lawyer who practices family law on the side but does something like personal injury lawyer or bankruptcy as their specialty. When going through a divorce, you need a specialist, one with all the requirements, you don’t just need a divorce lawyer, and you need someone who is well acquainted with the process and knows the judges and other family attorney lawyers. It is not because judges or other lawyers are of low moral character, but because judges often demonstrate consistent human behavior. Therefore, an attorney that appears regularly before a judge will know how the judge reacts on particular issuesÂ
The divorce lawyer will also know how to handle the judge, what makes him angry, what persuades the judge, and what will work best for your interest. This is particularly useful in cases where child custody is involved, among other divorce issues.
Believing a divorce lawyer is a genie
As much you may be seeking a divorce lawyer with expectations of the outcome in the back of your mind, whether you are the petitioner or the respondent, you have to understand that a divorce lawyer does not exist to fix your life problems. If you come across one who promises this, the best advice is to continue your search for an attorney. A good attorney is one that is reasonable and realistic and can get you most of what you want out of the divorce. A great one will get you all you want from the divorce and leave you at a good place to start your new life.Â
However, there are no miracles in the divorce process. No divorce lawyer can get you the wildest settlement of your dreams, ensure your children’s future, make all your money issues right, and give you a happily ever after. In your search for the best family law attorney, carry with you the most realistic expectations. Ask for the best achievable outcome from the whole divorce process.
Failure to prepare for a consultation
The best way to find the right attorney for your divorce is by conducting interviews. To achieve a good interview, one needs to prepare well and layout questions for their aspiring lawyers in advance. Once you have prepared your questions, you have to ensure you get all the answers you need, even if you feel nervous during the interview. Preparation will also give you an upper hand on the situation with your divorce, such as the finances. This is because finances are an essential part when handling divorce issues.Â
You should also conduct research and learn the essential aspects to discuss with a divorce lawyer before hiring them instead of blindly going to the interview. It will help you decide what type of divorce to conduct and what type of attorney will work best for your situation.Â
Preparing for the consultation also ensures that you have your emotions in check before waltzing onto the attorney’s office. This way, you have realistic expectations with you, and you know what you want as a client.
Waiting for things to get too seriousÂ
It is quite unlikely that the thought of divorcing your spouse came to you suddenly. It often takes months or even years to come to terms with ending a marriage. If you are having thoughts of divorcing your spouse, you should begin conducting legal research early to help you set grounds for your divorce. Start thinking about the type of divorce you want to have to help ease the tension and pressure. For instance, if you’re going to have an online divorce, you can use the online divorce website https://pennsylvaniaonlinedivorce.com/.Â
By looking into legal representation early on, before officially announcing you want a divorce, you will give yourself time to estimate the cost and find the best attorney that you can afford. You will be able to avoid running around and making rushed decisions, and ensure that you have all the help you need with the application process and organizing your financial situation.Â
I appreciated it when you shared that it is important to get initial consultations with several lawyers to choose the best one for your case. My friend just mentioned the other day that she is planning to end her marriage as she is no longer happy with her husband who has been cheating on her. I will suggest to her find a reliable divorce attorney who is competent to work on her case.