Find the best family lawyer for your case

Are you considering having a family lawyer to help you through a divorce, child custody, or even prepare a prenuptial agreement? If yes, then you must have figured out that finding the right legal adviser is not easy. Legal representatives are not equal, and every family dispute or agreement has a unique twist.

Due to the intricacies in these cases, finding the best family court lawyer is the best guarantee for an amicable solution and optimum benefits. The legal officer will help you navigate the murky waters of family disputes and even the healing process. Below are tips on how to find the right family lawyer for you.

Understand your needs

Understanding your needs is not only necessary knowing if you need a legal representative, but also the specific qualifications to look for in a legal representative. You certainly need a family lawyer for any of the following situations:

• You are preparing a prenuptial agreement with your spouse.
• You plan to adopt a child.
• You are contemplating divorce, separation, or annulment.
• You or your partner wish to amend a divorce agreement.
• You are dealing with or need a restraining order.

Family-related decisions have long-term consequences, especially when children are involved. Therefore, no issue is too small for the best legal counsel. Besides, people change, which makes a legal agreement more necessary.

Understand what a family lawyer does

Family lawyers specialise in domestic relations. However, even within this already specialised niche, there are further specialisations. They include marriage and divorce, child support, child custody, surrogacy, adoption, paternity conflicts, and much more. Your family issue may fall into one or two of these categories.

A competent family lawyer often specialises in only one or two areas of family law. A jack of all trades kind of legal officer might not be up to date with the latest rules and occurrences in the area that affects your case.

Consider the location

Legal cases are often handled in the plaintiff’s (the person filing the claim), county of residence. If you are the defendant, and your spouse lives in a different county, then you will have to incur additional travelling expenses.

You should choose a divorce lawyer that resides or practices in the city or county where the case is being handled. First, it will reduce the cost you will be paying for the legal counsel. The most significant benefit, however, is the familiarity factor.

A legal adviser who works within the same location as the case understands the local custom, court judges and staff, as well as other judges in the case. The knowledge can be handy, as your family lawyer will be navigating familiar waters, hence can give you the best counsel on your case.

Seek relevant experience

Track record usually says more than the time spent as a qualified lawyer. Therefore, while you should pay attention to the years of experience a lawyer has, their case history can be more important. Some of the questions to help you decide if a family law adviser has the right experience are:

• How many cases similar to yours has the officer handled in the past?
• What were the outcomes of those cases?
• Has the legal officer written on legal matters relevant to your case?
• Can the lawyer refer you to any of their past clients?

Often, many family lawyers who claim to have years of experience turn out to have very little when tasked with these questions.

Please remember not to use writing on legal matters as a deal-breaker, though it is a good indicator of a legal officer’s authority in the legal community. Some excellent legal writers do not have what it takes to argue a case successfully.

Check for an understanding of financial statements

This is very important when dealing with divorce, child support, prenuptial or funeral agreements. A child support lawyer and a property dispute lawyer should be able to understand and recognise issues concerning taxation, trust, and corporate practices. Some family law practices hire qualified financial advisors to help with complicated cases.

Seek the opinions of past acquaintances

Once you have a list of legal advisers that meet the primary considerations above, the next step is to seek the views of those who are familiar with them. Since family issues are sensitive, you should only consult people you can trust. Do not seek the opinions of people who met the legal officer as opponents, as their views might not be entirely objective.

Your friends’ experiences should tell you whether the legal officer:

• Was available for consultations
• Was punctual for appointments
• Was transparent about services and fees
• Was informed and supportive

Interview your potential legal representatives

Call all the family lawyers on the top of your list and book an interview. Since lawyers charge for their time, most of them will opt for a face to face interview. Use the meeting to get the details about their experience, and the possible cost of your case.

While you should not share everything about your case during this interview, an overview will be helpful to the lawyer. Ask about the useful information you need to have, the possible outcomes of the case, and the responsibilities that come with it.

Even more, inform the lawyer that you are interviewing other lawyers as well. While they expect you to do that, being open about it creates an environment of trust from the onset, which will come in handy if you choose to hire the firm.

Watch out for self-centred litigators

Family cases such as divorce are riddled with hate, anger, and emotions. Looking through such a glass makes a legal officer who prides in being a fierce litigator seem like a good option. However, if you have children, this might not be a good decision.

Most family court judges focus on what is best for the children. Therefore, they will ignore and reject proposals and arguments if these are actuated by selfish motives and the sole desire to win.

Besides, most marital issues have brewed for years before reaching the corridors of justice. Therefore, understand you need a more solution-focused approach to achieve a lasting solution. A competent divorce, child support, or child custody lawyer should understand this.

Find a family law representative who will not fuel your rage, or encourage you to compromise your integrity to get even. Being honest and sincere with your family law issues will also earn you respect from the judges.

Therefore, while it is good to have a powerful advocate, ensure your legal adviser is advocating for something greater than your own or their ego.

Conclusion

Family law is an intricate affair that involves finances, strong emotions, and grave consequences. Consequently, you need to choose your family lawyer correctly. Opt for one with sufficient experience and affordable fees. Most importantly, select a legal adviser who will focus on solutions, not your emotions, because that is what wins in a family court.