There’s no doubt that divorce is a big decision and how you handle it can have a long-lasting effect on the remaining part of your life. Regardless of the side you take, it is always a smarter decision to get the help of a legal expert. If this is your first divorce, the process may seem intimidating, uncomfortable, and scary. Hence, before you appoint a divorce attorney, you should do diligent research on the type of lawyer you hire.
There are several things to keep in mind before opting for a divorce, In case your ex-spouse was in the military, you shouldn’t hire an inexperienced divorce attorney. In other words, you must hire a Galveston divorce lawyer who successfully makes your life easier and more comfortable.
We have compiled a list of questions that you should ask your divorce lawyer before hiring him so that you know you’re working with the best.
Table of Contents
Question #1: Can you tell me the number of divorce cases you’ve handled?
The process of hiring a divorce attorney in Tacoma (or wherever in the world you are) is equivalent to choosing a doctor for performing surgery on you. Would you make the mistake of hiring someone who has never done it before? Bet you wouldn’t! As it is stressful to get a divorce, after going through the emotional repercussions of a broken marriage, you would never want to worry about the lawyer you choose. This is why you should have a clear idea of the cases he has already handled.
Question #2: Among the cases you handled, how many could you settle out of court?
In an ideal situation, you would wish to resolve the divorce case out of the court to cut short the prolonged drama. When we say settling out of court, we mean a compromise. Hence, it is necessary for you to find yourself an experienced divorce lawyer who has successfully settled things out of court. This is always one of the positive signs to watch out for.
Question #3: Are you familiar with my spouse?
In case your attorney is related to your spouse in any way, this could be a huge issue, no matter how he feels for her/him. The way we feel about that person can get in the way of what the lawyer thinks about the person. Hence, it is always better to not hire a lawyer who has some kind of connection with your spouse.
Question #4: Are you acquainted with the judges of the local family court?
Before you enroll yourself in a college, don’t you ask the other students how the professors are? How do they grade the students? What is their idea of tardiness? The case is similar to hiring a lawyer as here too, you have to make sure he is familiar with the local family court judges. In what direction do they rule? Is he lenient with custody rights? In case you’re looking for sole custody, you have to inform your lawyer so that he plans a strategy accordingly.
Question #5: Are you related to my spouse’s attorney?
The fact that your lawyer knows your ex-spouse’s lawyer matters less than the fact that your lawyer knows your spouse but this is still a factor to consider. If they attended the same seminar during the third year of law school, you can proceed with him but if they were roomies throughout their law school, you should drop the idea of hiring him.
Question #6: Which is better – to mediate & negotiate or go to trial?
One of the most vital factors to take into account while appointing a divorce attorney is that you get an opportunity to see everything in detail. Suppose you’re a client who wishes to mediate and negotiate but the attorney is hell-bent on taking the case to trial, this could adversely impact the success of the case.
Question #7: Are you experienced in arranging settlements or financial support?
In divorce cases that involve businesses or children, topics like spousal or child support, business valuation, or huge monetary settlements are bound to arise. Hence, before hiring a legal expert, you have to ensure the lawyer excels in his job and has enough experience in the same.
Question #8: Will you be available via email or phone?
Divorces aren’t a one-and-done case and hence there might arise some situation when you urgently need to schedule an appointment with the lawyer. However, since you might not end up fixing an appointment, the lawyer should be available either over the phone or by email. Check on that before hiring him.
Therefore, now that you’re familiar with the different questions to ask a lawyer before hiring him, what are you waiting for? Get into the market and start looking for the best one.
