Find a Divorce Attorney with a Few Helpful Features

If you are considering divorcing your spouse, your first step is likely to look for a lawyer who can help. This is especially important if you have children or even just a lot of property together. Before you choose someone to represent you, find out a few details so that you can get the best help possible during your separation.

The first thing to find out is whether the divorce attorney you are considering has experience with cases like yours. While it is impressive when a lawyer has presided over several cases, it does not mean much if he or she can handle the complexities that yours might involve. For example, divorcing when you have children or many major assets together is quite different from doing so when you have no kids and barely any shared property. If you suspect that your case will be complex, find someone who can handle that. A free consultation may help you determine this, as reputable lawyers should be honest about their past experience in the legal field.

Most attorneys understand that people separating from their spouse do not always have money to spare. This is especially the case if you think you will owe alimony or child support to your partner. Either way, living on your own is usually more expensive than living with someone else, so you are probably pinching pennies. If so, you should look for a divorce attorney who offers payment plans so you can pay a little every month. Some also let you pay a deposit and then pay the rest when the case is over, which may take several months. Find out about these options before you commit to anyone.

Some lawyers offer only the traditional weekday visits, usually during the day, though some do offer evening and weekend hours by appointment. There are some, however, that let clients call them at any time for advice. You are likely in for some sleepless nights, and you may have doubts at some point in the middle of the night. If you do not think you can wait until the morning to get advice from your divorce attorney, it is nice to be able to call any time to get some help. Lawyers are aware that clients need some emotional support, not just legal help, so they may be willing to do whatever it takes to help, which may include listening to you and offering advice at any time. They can at least offer the contact information of a counselor if they suspect you need it.

Not every lawyer offers these benefits, but some of the ones who stand out do. If you are ready to start your case so you can legally separate from your spouse, you should start looking for a legal representative. You cannot expect every divorce attorney you meet with to offer these details, but you should at least look for the ones that are most important to you so that this experience is as pleasant as possible.