The Benefits of Hiring a Family Law Attorney to Handle Your Divorce

Many divorces are friendly in nature as the couple works through the divorce process on their own; however, even the friendliest of divorces can be complicated. Couples may have challenges navigating the tax implications, splitting up their assets and liabilities, and handling the issues related to child time-sharing and child support. It is important for couples to navigate this process correctly to avoid any legal issues down the road related to the divorce process. This is only one of many reasons that couples should never go to court without an attorney. 

The first asset that family law attorneys bring to every courtroom is a knowledge of how the court proceedings occur. When couples go before a judge, it is important that they understand how busy judges are. No one wants his or her time wasted; however, someone without any legal experience cannot be expected to know how the courtroom operates. This is where an experienced family law attorney can come in. They can make sure that their client is prepared for everything that is going to happen when they enter the room. Someone who is not experienced in family law proceedings will not know what are the appropriate documents to file and how to have their matters heard by the judge. A competent and knowledgeable family attorney will know exactly how to handle any particular situation that arises during the pendency of a family law case. This will keep the judge happy and the proceedings running smoothly and efficiently. 

When it comes to the area of family law, the laws change regularly and the tendencies in divorce rulings change even faster. A family law attorney has made a career out of keeping up with these changes and placing their clients in the best position possible to succeed. It is not unusual for clients to enter divorce proceedings with a preconceived notion of how the process is going to go only to be surprised on the other side. Couples going through a divorce should make sure that they hire an attorney who keeps up with the changing attitudes surrounding divorce legislation. 

Another benefit an experienced family attorney has is that they know the judges fairly well. Chances are the attorney has appeared before the judge many times and, as a result, can have a suspicion as to how the judge may rule on a particular issue. The attorney would also have familiarity with the judge’s preferences on how certain documents should be filed or how the evidence should be presented. All those aspects are beneficial to a party’s case when going through a family law matter.

One of the common issues related to the courtroom is the mountain of paperwork that couples have to deal with. Not only is the volume overwhelming but the legal jargon can make people's heads spin. This is one of the most important roles that a family law attorney can fill. Lawyers went to school for many years to be able to parse this language and help their clients complete the paperwork efficiently. Do not run the risk of filling out this paperwork incorrectly. Rely on an attorney to get this right the first time.

It may be appealing to attempt to represent yourself in court in an effort to save money in attorney’s fees. However, it may cost you more in the end if you file the paperwork incorrectly or if you receive a ruling that is not in your benefit because the judge did not have all of the facts presented to her or him in a clear and organized way. If you or someone you know is considering a divorce, paternity or post-judgment matter, please contact an experienced family attorney who will be on your side throughout the process.

Article updated October 15, 2020.