Hiring an expert divorce lawyer may seem to be a daunting task considering the very fact that there are so many lawyers available out there, where each one claims to be the best. According to family lawyers Melbourne, the only way to make an informed decision in this regard is to do a thorough background research of the attorneys and compare their services. It may mean contacting several lawyers either personally or through phone and ask certain questions regarding their experience, how they are going to handle your case, and how much they are going to charge. Reputable lawyers often provide the first consultation free of cost even if it is for probation violations. It is better to shortlist these types of lawyers and then meet each of them one by one. These meetings can be your opportunity to get answers to your queries so that you can compare their services and choose the best one. Following are some important questions you must ask the attorneys during these meetings. Some attorneys suggest that dealing family troubles with litigation is a good idea.
How Much Experienced They Are?
To start with, you must ask an array of questions to a divorce lawyer about their work experience, such as the number of divorce cases they have handled so far and the number of cases they settled out of court through negotiations. Ask if your spouse has contacted them or if they know your spouse. You also need to know if they have any acquaintance with the Portland personal injury lawyers who is representing your spouse. Ask them about their familiarity with the local family court judges. It is also important to find out what is better in lawyer’s opinion – negotiated settlement outside the court or trial. Besides that, you should also ask them if they practice collaborative divorce and how much experience they have (if at all) in negotiating a settlement for various other aspects associated with divorce, such as business valuation, property distribution, large financial settlements, alimony, child custody, child support, and an array of other specific issues that you think may come up in your case.
How They Are Going To Handle Your Case?
The second part of questions that you have to ask a divorce lawyer during the first consultation should be about the way your case will be handled. Ask them to be very clear about whether they will handle your case themselves or they will appoint another attorney for this. Sometimes, there is a team of experts, mostly assistants, to handle your case. To get lawyers you can get more info here. The lawyer you are consulting with must explain these things in advance. You also need to find out how easily accessible they are. Ask them if they can be contacted through emails or via phone. Better, request them to provide you a written copy of their service policy. Look into the kind of caseload they have in order to find out if they will have time to devote to your case. Enquire about the best time of the day when they can be reached when needed. Be very specific while you ask questions about how you will be reported about the progress of the case – will they provide you copies of the documents filed with the court? How they will inform you about the developments in your case? You may also like to know if they care to ask for your opinion before planning and implementing strategies. Besides that, it will also be a good idea to ask them to describe their personal feelings about child custody (sole custody and joint custody) and about spousal support. If you have additional questions on child custody and support, you may consider getting help from child custody attorneys in Naperville.
How Much They Are Going To Charge You?
In the end, you must ask the divorce lawyer you are interviewing to explain the provisions regarding their fee. For example, you can ask questions about their hourly billing rate, retainer fee, and the extra fees that can be applicable if the case goes to trial. Does the fee include the cost of the services of other associates who are helping the lawyer on your case? Do they charge extra for the copies of the documents they send to you? Ask them if they will send you itemized bills and how often the bills are sent. You must also know if a contract will be signed regarding the fee arrangement. You have to be very specific with your queries. For example, you may also like to know if they will sue your spouse to pay your attorney fee.
Interviewing an Atlanta divorce lawyer with these questions will help you make an informed decision whether you should hire him/her or look out for another one.