Divorce Lawyer - What Should You Find Out Before Hiring A Firm?

There are plenty of lawyers to choose from, so you should have no problem finding a divorce lawyer. However, the process may become overwhelming if you are not sure exactly what you are looking for in a legal representative. Get a head start on narrowing down your choices by asking a few questions.

You should first find out whether the firm tends to settle out of court a lot, or if it goes to trial frequently. Many divorces can be completed out of the courtroom, which saves you from having to go to trial. If you have children that you want to protect from a courtroom battle, you might want a divorce lawyer who at least tries to settle every case. This will require some compromising on the part of you and your spouse, so you should only try a settlement if you think you can eventually agree on the major issues. Just make sure your attorney is on board and is happy to try to keep the case out of court.

Unfortunately, some cases simply cannot be settled. If this happens to you because you and your spouse cannot agree, you should find out how much trial experience your divorce lawyer has. You need to be represented by someone who knows how to fight for your side in court, since this is the best way to get the outcome you want. Not every attorney has been to court all that often, so some do not know how to handle cases that cannot be settled. This is why you should find out the number of trials your attorney has been to and how many of these he or she has won.

If you want more specific information, you can ask if your divorce lawyer has any references from past clients. Talking to them, or at least reading their reviews, can give you an idea of how the experience will be with the firm. In addition, some lawyers have case histories that you can look at. This is a collection of cases that they have been involved in, and they may let you read the details so that you can better prepare for your own case. Plus, you can get a good idea of how the attorney tends to approach cases.

You should find out this type of information when you go to a consultation with the divorce lawyer you are considering. If you do not like the answers you get, you should move on to the next attorney in your city. After all, there are too many good lawyers available for you to choose one with whom you are not comfortable.