An Overview of Family Law
Family law refers to the body of law that governs matters involving domestic relations and family related issues. Though family law covers a wide range of issues, the common types of cases that family law attorneys handle include divorce, custody disputes, domestic violence, civil restraining orders, guardianship, spousal support, child support, alimony, property distribution, and juvenile delinquency.
Family law attorneys are crucial to resolving family related matters. If you are separated and looking to file for divorce, a family law attorney will be needed to institute the filing process to dissolve the marriage. In the same token, if you are currently involved with a divorce action, a family law attorney will represent you to ensure your rights are not violated by your spouse.
If you are seeking custody , a family law attorney can make sure your parental rights and abilities are represented during the custody evaluation process. If you believe you need a domestic violence restraining order or a civil restraining order, a family law attorney will be needed to advise you for the proper course of action and possibly represent you in a court hearing.
All of this matters because without proper representation, your claimed rights could be adversely affected; in some instances beyond repair. Family law matters are often difficult, complex, and require a high level of expertise and knowledge of the law. A family law attorney can navigate the process to make it less difficult, complex and overwhelming to resolve difficult family matters.
Your First Free Consultation: What to Expect
The bulk of the meeting will involve a description of the legal issues involved. The attorney will also evaluate the case and weigh in on the likelihood of success, and whether litigation is likely to resolve the case. If the attorney recommends proceeding with litigation, then they will discuss the various options available for pursuing that litigation with you. As you discuss all of these issues, or as new issues arise, you will have the opportunity to ask pertinent questions of the attorney, as well. If anything is unclear, do not hesitate to ask for clarification.
Free Consultation Questions to Ask
Prior to your free consultation, you should write down and/or familiarize yourself with the below list of questions to help get the most out of your time with the attorney. Keep in mind that this is just a guide; you should additionally ask any other questions that you feel are important to you. Most importantly, do not be afraid to ask questions. If you don’t understand something, ask the attorney to clarify it for you. If you feel that you’re not getting the answers to your questions or have lingering concerns, you have the right to interview (3) different attorneys or more until you feel comfortable and confident about hiring a certain one.
- What is your experience regarding my type of case (e.g., divorce, child custody, domestic violence, relative adoption)? In particular, it is helpful to find out if the attorney’s prior trial experience specifically involved your type of case. For example, // abcfamilylawyer.com/if-you-are-the-victim-of-domestic-violence-video/.
- Are you a Certified Family Law Specialist? Have you been recognized by any organizations for your work?
- What are the costs of hiring you? Do you or your office require a retainer fee upfront? What are your rates? Do you handle payment plans? Again, these questions depend on your individual finances and situation.
- How long will the case last and how much money is the overall cost estimate?
- Do you or your associates have experience working with the mediators or judges who will assigned to my case?
- How many cases have you taken to trial in the past? How successful were you at trial?
- Does your office handle other areas of law? What access to an attorney will I have during the trial? Will you or an associate be trying my case?
These are just some of the questions that you should consider asking during the consultation. While many family law clients cost as much as $300/hour to retain an attorney, the consultation should be free with no strings attached. Don’t be afraid to ask any and all questions that you may have.
Advantages of a Free Consultation
The primary benefit of a free consultation with a family law attorney is the ability to gain legal insight into your specific case, without paying for it. By the time you reach the stage of a free consultation, you are typically trying to find the right attorney for your case, which can be a very difficult task. Knowing what to expect and what your options are can make it easier .
A family law professional is also there to help clarify whether the legal outcomes that you hope for are actually realistic. Sometimes, getting a sense of what to expect from a legal proceeding can help you prepare better in the future, and can also save you a great deal of heartache along the way. Before you even hire an attorney, you can get a chance to ask them about their opinion on your case, and their experience with similar cases.
Choosing the Right Family Law Attorney
Once you’ve met with a family law attorney in your free consultation, hopefully you will have a good idea of whether or not that particular lawyer is the best one to help you with your specific situation. While there are many variables that come into play when deciding who the best lawyer for you might be, the following considerations can serve as a basic guide:
• Experience: Ask your prospective attorney how many cases they have represented clients in similar situations. A simple answer to this question will let you know if the lawyer has enough experience in the right area to help you. You should also find out how long the lawyer has been practicing and whether they are Board Certified.
• Communication Style: Pay attention to how the lawyer communicates. Do they listen to you? Overly confident can be a red flag about the attorney’s ability to be objective. Does the lawyer provide information you can understand and provides you with the opportunity to ask questions?
• Client Reviews and Testimonials: Besides doing your own research online, it can be very helpful to find out what your friend or relative’s experience was like with the lawyer you are considering. Did they get the lawyer they expected? How did the lawyer handle their case?
Meeting with a Florida family law attorney in a complimentary consultation is the first step in helping you to make the right decision about who will provide you with the level of service you need over the course of the case. At Bressler & Bressler we provide free consultations which cover a broad range of issues in an effort to provide the client with a clear picture of our practice and quality of service.
Getting Ready for Your Free Consultation
You have decided you wish to schedule a free consultation with our family law attorneys. Like any appointment, a little preparation is key in order to take full advantage of your time. Consider the following steps to help you sort through your concerns and develop a plan for what you wish to discuss.
Your family law attorney can only assist you in resolving the matters at hand if they are informed. To that end, please take a moment to prepare for your consultation by gathering the following information to share with your attorney:
A complimentary consultation should be approached as an opportunity to gain information about your specific family law matter . While having some knowledge of how your issue is addressed under Michigan law can be useful, asking a family law attorney to prepare legal analysis without the benefit of review of all relevant documents is a disservice to everyone involved. Your free consultation is a good opportunity to learn about the lawyer you are considering hiring and to educate yourself about the family law process in Michigan generally.