Does A Good Divorce Lawyer Make A Difference?
Yes, hiring an experienced and effective divorce lawyer whose firm is focused mainly on family law can make a big difference to your divorce case. Such lawyers can help you:
- Understand how the state laws impact your case
- Be prepared for the outcome
- Remain calm and objective during the divorce process
- Cut through the red tape and paperwork
- Get access to reputed professionals (expert witnesses)
- Peacefully resolve the divorce
1. You Will Understand The Impact Of State Laws
Divorce laws differ from state to state. All states allow spouses to file a no-fault divorce petition, but if a spouse so desires, he/she can file an at-fault divorce petition in some states. Then there are residency requirements, a cooling-off period that all spouses must follow, laws related to property distribution and child custody, etc., that have a bearing on the case.
Moreover, experienced and reputed attorneys will have resolved thousands of divorce cases, and surely, they may have resolved cases that had circumstances similar to yours. So, even before filing the divorce petition, a good lawyer will get you up-to-speed on how the state’s family law will impact your case. Result: you will become an informed petitioner right from the word go.
2. You Will Be Prepared For The Outcome
An effective divorce lawyer will help you create an effective parenting/child custody plan that is fair to the other parent as well. He/she will draw up a list of marital property and separate property so that you know the property that you will get on divorce. He/she will also estimate the alimony you are likely to get/pay.
So, even before you head for negotiations or trial, you know approximately what you will get and how much you will have to part with on divorce. When you know where you stand, you will be ready for the expected divorce outcome. You will be aware of both the best-case and worst-case scenarios. That is the difference between working with an experienced attorney and working with a rookie or a general practice law firm.
3. You Will Remain Calm And Objective During The Divorce Process
A divorce is an emotional event, and it doesn’t take much provocation to trigger an already overwhelmed spouse. Tempers can fly and emotions can find expression in hurtful and insulting words, which can be used by the other spouse as ammo against you. You may even be tempted to go in for a quick and hasty resolution because there is so much muck and unpleasantness flying around.
A good divorce lawyer will guide you on how to stay objective, calm, and composed throughout the divorce process and accept only the rightful resolution.
4. You Won’t Have To Bother About The Paperwork
There is plenty of paperwork involved in a divorce – preparing a divorce petition and filing it in the court, preparing a request for temporary orders and submitting it in the court, serving the papers to the other spouse, filing the proof of service, creating a parenting plan, and more. These legal documents must be prepared correctly and filed in time. When you work with a good lawyer, you don’t have to bother about the paperwork.
5. You Will Get Access To Reputed Professionals (Expert Witnesses)
Property distribution, child custody, and alimony are very contentious issues and both spouses are likely to fight tooth and nail to get an advantage in these matters. Sometimes, you may need expert witnesses (psychiatrists, actuaries, real estate valuators, accountants, and QDRO professionals, among others) to help ensure an equitable distribution.
Fortunately, experienced and reputed divorce attorneys are networked with such professionals and you won’t have to worry about finding the right one for your case.
6. Your Divorce Will Most Likely Be Resolved Peacefully
A good divorce lawyer does his/her best to save time and money for his/her clients. The lawyer knows that if the case goes to trial, it can drag on for a long time and take a toll on the children, over and above adding to the expenses. Therefore, a quality divorce attorney always settles 98–99% of the cases during the pre-trial stage. The rest may be high-conflict cases involving sensitive property and child custody issues, or cases against a narcissist spouse – and these may not be possible to resolve out of court.
So, a quality divorce attorney is likely to recommend peaceful negotiations or amicable divorce resolution processes such as mediation or collaborative divorce, so that his/her clients save time and money, and their children do not suffer from a long and drawn-out divorce process.
