Introduction
Divorce cases are complex and exhausting. In such a situation, you need the help of a divorce lawyer who can take you through the process easily. But the challenging part is to find the right divorce lawyer.
In this article, you will know about the questions you should ask divorce attorneys before you hire them. Knowing about their experience, fee structure, and some other important aspects will help you find the right lawyer for your case.
Questions to Ask Before You Hire Divorce Lawyer
Hiring an experienced and reliable lawyer will make your situation easier to handle your divorce case. The following questions will help you find the right lawyer for your divorce.
1. How Long Have You Been Practicing Family Law?
When you want to hire a divorce lawyer, it’s important to know their qualifications and experience. To know about their credentials, ask how long they have been practicing.
Don’t just ask about their duration; ask how many divorce cases they handled and what are the outcomes? An experienced lawyer knows all the legal procedures of a divorce lawyer. When you know that your lawyer has the experience, you can stay relaxed.
2. Have You Had Any Issues With The Bar Association?
Lawyers are held with ethical standards by the bar association. There are some guidelines and rules on how they will conduct different legal practices. So, they may be sanctioned for ethics violations for any kind of professional misconduct.
In such a case, the lawyers may be suspended from practicing law within the state. So, you should be sure about the character and competency of the divorce lawyer before you hire them.
3. How Much Will You Charge for Legal Representation?
Divorce processes usually take longer, and sometimes they can extend upto one year. You should be very clear about the cost of legal representation of your divorce and how long it can take to resolve the issue.
Ask the following questions will help you to get clarity on how much your divorce may cost you:
- Will you charge any fixed fee or hourly charges?
- If the lawyer is charging hourly fees, ask whether the phone calls, conversation, or what will be included within the legal service?
- Do you charge a different fee inside the court and out of the courtroom?
4. Do You Have Experience in Dealing With Dividing Marital Assets?
In some states, property law is very simple. It dictates the ownership right of marital assets between the spouses. Some states have joint marital assets, which can be easily split between the spouses.
However, sometimes splitting of marital assets becomes critical. So, you should ask whether the lawyer has experience in handling diving compels marital assets. An experienced divorce lawyer can make the property division simple.
5. Will I Give or Receive Alimony?
Every state has different laws regarding alimony. So, you need to ensure that whether you have to pay or receive alimony. Discussing this matter with the divorce lawyer in the initial consultation will help you understand your liabilities.
There are several factors considered while deciding who will receive or pay the alimony. Here are some key factors:
- The length of your marriage.
- Who will take the child’s custody?
- Difference between your and your partner’s earnings.
- Property possessions.
- Tax implications.
6. How Will You Decide About Child Custody?
Some couples decide the child custody matter peacefully and privately. However, that’s not always the case, and couples need a divorce lawyer to decide this matter. If you haven’t settled about this matter with your partner, ask the attorneys before you hire them.
Ask about the factors that the attorney will consider when deciding which parent should get the child’s custody? Sometimes these matters become very critical that causes a delay in legal proceedings.
7. How Will You Communicate About the Case?
Lastly, you should also ask how the lawyer will communicate about the case. Since communication is very crucial between you and the divorce attorney, you should be clear about how it will take place.
For clarity, you need to ask these questions:
- How often will you contact me regarding my case?
- Will you directly contact me or through your team?
- How will you communicate; in-person, phone, email?
The Bottom Line
These are the important questions that you should ask before you hire a divorce or family lawyer. Apart from these questions, you can also ask about the divorce procedure and how long the case may take to complete. Do proper research about divorce attorneys by reading online reviews and asking for referrals before you finalize to hire them.