What questions to ask before hiring a New Jersey divorce lawyer?
In order to help them choose the right attorney for them and their situations, there are several questions divorcing spouses should ask potential lawyers.
For any number of reasons, people in New Jersey may decide to divorce. As of 2011, the most recent year with available statistics, the state’s divorce rate was 2.9 per 1,000 people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. After making the difficult decision to split, divorcing spouses often hire an attorney to help with their cases. In order to ensure they pick the right attorney for them, there are some important questions divorcing spouses should ask potential lawyers.
What are their credentials?
When choosing a divorce lawyer, it is important for people to consider their education and experience. Thus, they may want to ask potential attorneys for their credentials. Additionally, divorcing spouses may question what areas of practice the lawyers they are considering handle. Some people may feel more comfortable working with an attorney who only deals with family law issues.
What is their strategy?
There are a number of issues that must be resolved when couples divorce, including the division of their marital assets. For instance, the New Jersey Courts point out that the marital property of divorcing couples is divided based on what the court deems is fair and reasonable. Therefore, it may fall to their attorneys to negotiate for what they deserve and are entitled to.
When considering divorce lawyers, it may be important for people to ask them about their strategies. This is because they may not want to choose an attorney who will take an aggressive approach if they are trying to maintain an amicable relationship with their former spouses. By the same token, people will want to choose a legal representative who will fight on their behalf in situations when their partners may be hiding assets or trying to take more than their fair share of the couple’s assets.
Will anyone else be working on the case?
Sometimes, divorce attorneys will receive assistance on cases from their partners, associates or other support staff. When considering which lawyer to hire, people may want to ask if anyone else will be helping with or handling their cases. In some cases, it may be helpful for them to meet those who will be assisting with their divorces to ensure they feel comfortable with them and that their personalities mesh.
How will they communicate?
Due to the personal nature of divorce, it is to be expected that people will want to be kept abreast about what is going on with their cases. For this reason, they may consider asking the lawyers they are considering how they will communicate with them during their cases. This may help them to understand how they will be informed about their cases, as well as how they can address any questions and concerns that may arise throughout the process.
What are the fees?
The fees that divorce attorneys charge and the manner in which they charge their clients varies from one to the next. When going through a marriage dissolution, people’s finances may be unsettled or tight. Consequently, it is important for them to get an understanding of costs associated with the lawyers they are considering before making a decision. This may help ensure they do not choose a legal representative who they cannot afford.
Making the right choice
The attorneys that divorcing spouses in New Jersey, and elsewhere, hire to represent them often play an integral role in the outcomes of their cases. Thus, it is important for people to choose the right attorney for them and their families. An attorney may negotiate on their behalf and help guide them through the legal process.