In What Situations Is My Wife’s Divorce Attorney a Conflict for Me?
Often, one of the first questions clients ask me is how to avoid conflicts when hiring their divorce attorney. This is an important question to answer because a bad attorney can make a difficult situation even more difficult for you and your spouse.
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In this article, I will discuss some of the most common ways in which a bad divorce attorney can harm your case and how you can protect yourself from them.
1. The First Step in Getting a Good Divorce Lawyer
The best way to ensure that you hire a good attorney is to hire them as soon as possible. If you wait too long to hire a divorce attorney, your options will be limited and you may have difficulty finding an experienced family law specialist with the specialized knowledge that you need.
It is always best to meet with multiple attorneys before you sign any paperwork. This will help you to better understand the process, and your rights and manage your expectations. It will also allow you to weed out lawyers that aren’t a good fit for your case.
2. The First Step in Mediation
Some couples are able to use mediation to achieve their goals, especially when they have significant disagreements on important issues. Depending on the circumstances, this can be a very effective method for resolving a divorce.
However, some couples are unable to use mediation to reach an agreement on issues that affect them both, such as child custody or support. If your case falls into this category, you can consider using a reputable mediator to guide you through the mediation process and help you find a resolution that works for everyone.
3. The Second Step in Keeping Your Divorce Case Moving Through the Courts
One of the most common ways that a bad attorney can hinder your progress through the court system is by failing to communicate with you. This can include things like not responding to emails or phone calls, or ignoring you.
This can lead to significant delays in the progression of your case, which can affect your and your spouse’s ability to reach a favorable outcome. A good attorney will always take the time to keep you informed and update you on the status of your case.
4. The Second Step in Negotiating Your Settlement
Sometimes, divorce attorneys can become too aggressive and overzealous in their advocacy. They will try to use their client’s emotions and position on certain issues to their advantage. This can sometimes be detrimental to the client’s position and result in a settlement that is not fair to the spouse.
5. The Third Step in Trying to Reconcile Your Marriage
Another common way that a divorce attorney can hurt your case is when they try to convince you to settle your case by giving you false hope. They will say things like, “I can work out a settlement for you that will allow both of you to get what you want,” or, “if you just give me a chance to talk to your spouse, I can see if we can come up with something reasonable.” These statements are not true and do not provide you with much hope that your spouse can actually reconcile with you.