Choosing The Right Family Legal Help For Your Divorce
Let’s face it. You will need all the legal protection and assistance when going through a divorce, a separation or a family law case. Even though you may think these types of cases are simple and can be handled personally, you can be overwhelmed by the procedures and the documentation required. What’s more, going to court without a good family law attorney in Oklahoma City is almost impossible. You will need legal representation and you will want the best professional money can buy.
Having good family law lawyers in Oklahoma City by your side comes with numerous benefits: you’ll have someone to guide you, help you with documents or procedures. Your lawyer will represent you in court, if needed, and will offer advice on how to handle family law cases. What’s more, working with a good professional will reduce stress levels, giving you much-needed peace of mind. Going through a separation or divorce is incredibly stressful, and a good lawyer can make you feel calmer and more positive.
But how should you pick the best family law lawyers in Oklahoma City to work on your case? Here’s a quick rundown on what you need to do:
Recommendations
This is by far the best way to find a good family lawyer. Talk to family members, friends, coworkers or other people you trust. Recommendations work exceptionally well especially when people have direct experience with the lawyer. If they worked with the lawyer and had a great experience, it may be a great choice for you as well. Whenever you get a good recommendation, take into consideration. You may find the right lawyer for you, with minimal effort.
The experience
Make sure the lawyer you choose has plenty of experience. Also, the experience must be relevant to your case — his or her experience should be focused on family law. Keep in mind that your legal rights and your assets are at stake in a family law case. You simply cannot risk going forward with an inexperienced lawyer. Your case will suffer, you’ll be under a lot of stress and the results may be disastrous.
Do not hire a lawyer who has the experience, but not in family law cases. Yes, the experience is good, but if it is not in similar cases, it is not relevant. Keep in mind that family law is very complex, and a lawyer specialized in real estate won’t know how to handle a family law case. As mentioned above, if you go forward without an experienced family law attorney in Oklahoma City, your case will suffer a lot.
Don’t hire a lawyer out of revenge
Hiring a family law attorney in Oklahoma City out of revenge is a disastrous strategy during a divorce. Many people do this in an effort to get back at their spouse. Even if this strategy will work (although usually it doesn’t), the result of your family law case may not be the one you expect. Your main focus during divorce should be a settlement with your spouse. This will help you a lot — your case will be handled quicker, the costs will be minimal and the emotional stress will be lower. Going to court out of revenge or spite will cost you a lot of money, and the end result may not be ideal.
Make sure the lawyer is honest
Your family law attorney should be honest about your chances of success. This is very important because your whole strategy will be based on the initial assessment. Stay away from lawyers who will say you have a powerful case, and you will win without a battle — they are only looking for clients and are willing to promise anything. Look for a lawyer who is open about your chances and can come up with a reliable strategy for your case. Make sure the lawyer helps you understand your rights, your obligations and explains your chances. Also, your lawyer should be open about the fee structure — you should always know the price of the services and how much you will pay in the end. Even a rough estimate is important.
Preparing the questions for your lawyer
As soon as you have a shortlist of family law lawyers in Oklahoma City, it’s time for the first consultation. This should be done in person — typically you will be invited to the lawyer’s office to discuss the case. Some lawyers prefer to do this via phone call. No matter what type of meeting you have (in person or via phone call), you should prepare a few questions to ask the lawyer. Make sure you ask specific questions about the lawyer, the experience, explain your case, ask questions about potential strategies, the fees involved and a rough timeline for your case. The initial discussion will be short, most lawyers offer a free 30-minute consultation. If you find that this is not enough, consider paying for a full hour to get the lawyer’s full attention. This will leave you plenty of time to interact and get to know the person you want to defend you during the legal proceedings.
Use your gut
As in all important decisions, our gut feelings or instincts are very important. Pay attention to how the lawyer interacts with you, how you get along with him or her, how he or she handles the conversation. Is the lawyer friendly? Does he or she understand your case? Is communication good? Do you feel comfortable during the discussion? These are all important elements that will determine who the best lawyer for your case is. After all, your lawyer is not just a professional who helps you with a divorce, he or she should be emotional support, a person who understands and sees your case on a personal and professional level. Choose the lawyer who seems like a great fit for your needs and your personality. This is the ultimate determining factor when choosing a lawyer, and your instinct is the decision-maker.
