There are a number of scenarios that will prompt you to hire a family law attorney. This may be the best thing to do if your partner has expressed plans to file for a divorce or if you know that a separation may be due. This is a challenging time emotionally and one needs guidance from a family law attorney to see to it that avoid common mistakes.
This may also be just a precautionary measure where one may involve a family law attorney to draw up a pre-marital contract. The reason for getting a pre-marital contract is to help address any of your concerns about your property and finances. Whatever the reason may be for looking to hire a family law attorney, it is important that you choose the best one. Here are several key factors to look into before deciding to go with a particular family law attorney.
The first question you need to ask is whether the family law attorney is experienced in his line of work. This is a very good index for indicating reliability. Even though there are family law matters that are rare, you stand in a better position if you hire a highly experienced family law attorney. This will increase the odds that they have come across a similar case. The family law attorney with experience will have enough knowledge to come up with a great plan of approach.
The second concern is money. Ask about their retainers and the areas they cover. Some family law attorneys may even offer a flat fee for their services while others prefer hourly rates. You should have a good estimate of the total cost of hiring a family law attorney. Thanks to social stratification, finances to cater for legal fees may not be a bother to some individuals but it is always wise to save money when hiring services. This should never be done at the expense of the quality of service offered. You should also include all the costs that will come from the communication between you and the family law attorney. You should prepare to make international calls and cater to other costs like mileage and postage.
The third thing you need to ask the family law attorney before deciding to hire them is whether your case is straightforward. This may be in the form of a consent order for child support and custody. The family law attorney will in this case be able to give you the estimated time it will take before the case is ruled. Sometimes these proceedings take even two years. Knowing this in advance will help you inform your decision. However, there are specific facts about your case that may increase the range of possible outcomes. The professional advice here is to go for a family law attorney who charges within your budget and with who you share a goal.
These tips will help you prepare for a consultation before hiring a family law attorney who will give you better odds of winning your case.