One of the most unfortunate things about marriage is the percentage of couples getting divorced. Many factors that affect the divorce rate include financial issues, unfaithfulness, life-altering disease or disability, and even shorter dating periods.
When considering getting a petition for divorce, it is essential to hire an attorney. While some couples may opt to handle the process independently, having a divorce mediated is crucial. Lawyers act as third parties and can be neutral and level-headed, working within the boundaries of the law while also helping the client get what they want. They will assist with all the legal proceedings, paperwork, and negotiations.
Divorces tend to be complicated and messy due to the amount of time and emotions invested. It gets even more complicated where there are joint assets or children. However, people can only hope for a quick divorce. In the case of an uncontested divorce, the process can be fast and smooth. It mainly occurs when both parties negotiate and present their terms and can agree. While there may be no such thing as a simple divorce, some situations aren’t contested. However, there are some situations where one party fails to respond, to show up to the negotiations, or even to show up in court.
Couples who dated for three or more years are typically less likely to get divorced – 39% less- than couples who got engaged after a year or less of dating. The data doesn’t lie; divorce is an unfortunately common part of many peoples’ lives. Finding divorce help when you need to end your marriage can be a challenge, and spending hours trying to research is the last thing you want to be doing when you have more pressing matters to attend to.
Thankfully, finding a divorce lawyer isn’t impossible. By utilizing these four tips for hiring a divorce lawyer, you can save yourself plenty of time and hassle and focus on yourself and your family.
Consider Services
Not all divorce lawyers are created equally; with a difference in degrees, notoriety, and services, the best lawyer for you may not be the best lawyer for someone else. One of the best tips for hiring a divorce lawyer is knowing what services you need. Will you need mediation services? Is there a custody issue involved? What about a bilingual lawyer?
These are important questions to answer as you search for the right lawyer. With the ease of online searching comparing services between several lawyers is easy, and will save you the headache of connecting with the wrong lawyer for your specific needs.
Compare Pricing
An affordable divorce lawyer is never a bad thing. No one wants to spend a fortune on divorcing. As you begin your research, take the time to compare rates between several lawyers. Sticker shock is never a pleasant feeling, and you especially want to avoid it during the sometimes messy proceedings of divorce.
Comparing rates between lawyers is one of the best tips for hiring a divorce lawyer. Save yourself some money for your new life and put a little extra time into researching rates before you select a divorce lawyer.
Don’t Be Afraid to Ask Questions
Perhaps one of the most crucial tips for hiring a divorce lawyer, asking questions is a huge piece to finding the right lawyer. The specifics of your case may be simple or they may be complex; your understanding of the law may be thorough or minimal. Whatever your specific case, make sure to ask plenty of questions when you don’t understand a portion of it.
Being upfront with questions also allows you to uncover any potential surprises you weren’t prepared for, such as length of your case or court proceedings. The more information you arm yourself with, the better off you’ll be.
Prepare Yourself
It may seem obvious, but going through a divorce can be a major upset in an individual’s life. There are expenses, sometimes arguments, court proceedings, long nights, and all manner of other problems that can hinder your case.
Before you meet with your divorce lawyer for the first time, acknowledge that your divorce could be finalized shortly or it could take months. It will make the journey of divorce much easier if you are able to recognize that this procedure isn’t always the easiest.
Divorce can be the right choice for many, but it’s not always the easiest. However, using these tips for hiring a divorce lawyer can help to make the process easier and headache-free, so you can move on with your life sooner rather than later.
