When selecting a family attorney for your divorce, you expect to find an attorney who can relate to you and provide legal representation that delivers results and best represents your family interests. In turn, how you interact with your attorney can significantly impact both the success and cost of your case.
Follow these tips to benefit most from your divorce lawyer:
Lean on Your Attorney’s Expertise
Recognize and use your attorney’s expertise. You (hopefully) hired an attorney you trust and who has ample experience in the area of family law. You are paying thousands of dollars to this attorney to advise you–listen to them! But this is not to say you should not be involved in the decision making process during your divorce.
A good attorney will educate you about how the law applies to the facts of your case, how the court might rule on the issues in your case, and what viable options exist for resolving your case. They should outline a recommended course of action, but ultimately allow you to make the final decision on how to proceed. They should then work to help you achieve the goals that have been set.
Even the Best Attorneys Need Complete and Truthful Information
Practice effective communication with your attorney. This means more than just giving your attorney information about your case. It means giving truthful and complete information. It means providing your attorney the documents they request from you. It means updating your attorney on changes in your case as it progresses.
It also means reading information the attorney sends you, even if you do not want to do so (your attorney should send you copies of all documents generated or received by them.) It means understanding when you have a true emergency and when you do not. In short, effective communication means thoughtfully engaging with your attorney on any and all issues in your case.
Follow the Law and Court Orders
Comply with court orders and avoid criminal acts. There is almost nothing worse for an attorney than having to deal with a client’s breach of a court order or a criminal prosecution in the midst of their divorce. There is never a good way to “spin” such actions, and judges do not take kindly to their directives being ignored.
Understand clearly the Preliminary Injunction Orders, which are automatically issued at the outset of every divorce or legal separation case. Also, be clear on any other orders issued by the court. If you do not understand them, ask your attorney.
Trust That Your Attorney Sees the Big Picture
Recognize that your attorney can see the big picture much better than you can. An expert family law attorney has likely handled (and therefore lived through) tens or hundreds of divorces. This experience allows your attorney to gauge how the actions you take and decisions you make today will impact your case in the long run in ways you may not appreciate.
Consult with them before taking any action or making a major decision that could impact the issues in your case. If you remember just one piece of advice, remember this: Don’t let your emotional reactions take priority over solid divorce strategy and planning.
Contact us at Hallier Stearns PLC for more information on how to benefit from your divorce attorney.