A divorce attorney in Gardner is a family law attorney. That means they practice representing cases that concern families, and personal relationships that pertain to families. When a relationship that you are involved in dissolves you need a family law attorney to make sure that the decisions you make regarding the division of property and assets is in your best interest.
Getting a Good Divorce Attorney in Gardner
Getting a good divorce attorney in Massachusetts to represent you in the dissolution of a marriage is not as easy as picking up a phone book and calling the first lawyer that you find listed in Gardner. To find a good qualified divorce lawyer you need look no further than our Nationwide network of divorce lawyers. But, we invite the competition. You’re going to have to do a little research, and a little interviewing to find the best divorce attorney for your situation.
Steps to follow in your search for a lawyer to handle your divorce;
1. Write down all of the pertinent information the lawyer will need to know about you, your spouse, and your impending divorce. Be sure to include a list of all assets the two of you own. List any grievances you have against your spouse like infidelity issues, drugs and/or alcohol, or spousal abuse problems.
2. Make a list of local divorce lawyers you have heard of from friends, relatives, and other advertising sources. Make appointments with at least three of those law firms to discuss your situation and see if they can help. These initial consultations are usually free.
3. Make a list of things you would like your divorce attorney to have. Include a compatible personality, time to work on your case, close proximity, affordable fees or easy payment plans. When you go to the initial consultations, rate the lawyers according to the list you made. When you have visited all of the family law firms in Gardner you were interested in, you can then evaluate which lawyers met the most of the things you wanted.
4. Consider the amount of experience the lawyer has had with divorce cases like yours. You want a lawyer who is knowledgeable in the laws that pertain to the type of circumstances or grounds for divorce you are facing.
5. Call the Better Business Bureau and the local Chamber of Commerce to see if anyone has filed any complaints against them, and if they have had complaints, how they resolved the issues.
6. Ask the divorce attorney how full their case load is. You want a popular attorney, but you do not want to retain someone that has a case load that is so heavy they won’t have time to pay close attention to your concerns with the case.
Depending on the circumstances surrounding the divorce, each involved party may want to tell everyone the news. However, this isn’t usually the best approach. It likely isn’t set in stone who your partner will have as their divorce attorney, and it’s best to keep attorney information to yourself at first. Often, divorce attorneys may know each other or be in the same legal circles. The last thing anyone wants is to have to get another lawyer due to a conflict of interests. Take advantage of attorney and client privilege.
Massachusetts Divorce Attorney In 1453
It may sound obvious, but do research when trying to find the right divorce attorney. Ask friends and family for their suggestions, but make sure that the lawyer focuses on divorce cases and has an excellent record. Also, it’s important that your chosen lawyer has a good record when it comes to your specific needs, whether they include child support, child custody, or financial agreements. Reviews are often available online, and it’s usually clear which lawyers are reputable.
No one is forced to hire the first lawyer they meet with, so it’s best to set up several meetings and interview each to find the right fit. Ask questions concerning their practice, such as what type of law they specialize in and what they will do to ensure you get the best outcome.
Worcester County Divorce Attorney Costs
If at all possible, try to discuss the division of finances with your spouse before seeking an attorney. If the money split can be some what amicable, it will help you in the long run. Discussing the division of money and property beforehand, especially if there is no prenuptial agreement, will make the process smoother for the lawyers on both sides which will affect attorney costs. Try to be mature and sensitive when considering the financial situation of everyone involved. It will make the case better if things are talked through sensibly and rationally.
Make sure to ask the divorce lawyer what the exact costs of his services will be, from the initial meeting to the overall trial. Don’t be shy about finding out what the initial fees are, as well as court costs that are rarely mentioned, and any additional hourly fees or rates for special services.
In addition to pleading their client’s case in court, there are other duties that a divorce attorney has to perform before getting to court. These can include:
- Interviewing their client and getting all the necessary information from them. A divorce attorney has to know the divorce case in detail and not be judgmental and completely biased toward their client. This is necessary to ensure that their client wins.
- Having to complete all the paperwork that is necessary for the court, and getting documented proof submitted to the family court hearing the case.
- Creating a statement that states all the testimony, demands, arguments, and allegations from their client.
- Formulating a draft or motion of evidence so they can prove the contentions in the divorce case.
- Attending the court sessions for the hearing date for the divorce case.
- Determining the ratio in how any alimony or child support payments are to be made and how the property is to be divided. When it is a “at fault” divorce, which is when either the husband or wife is at fault for the breakup of the marriage the guilty party will either receive no payment from the other party or they will have to pay more to the other party.
Having a divorce attorney is usually necessary for both sides in a mutually mediated divorce, which is when both parties have come to terms with the procedure of separation. They have also agreed to accept the conditions and terms that relate to support and maintenance, property division, child care, and alimony payments. As a divorce lawyer it is their responsibility to inform their client about the different rights they have according to the law and how they use their rights to their advantage for their case in court.
Get A Divorce Lawyer For Gardner, Massachusetts
You will want to ask for, and be clear, whether a fixed flat rate will be charged or whether you will be charged an hourly rate for all the work performed on your case. Try and get a specific cost range if your case ends up going all the way to trial. Considering that some divorce cases can take years to resolve, it’s imperative to understand the long-term financial implications.
Every state has its own unique requirements for how divorces must be filed. The amount of time that it will take from start to finish varies greatly depending on the circumstances of your situation, but your attorney should be able to give you an approximate timeline and an overview of the exact steps that will be taken throughout the process.
Spousal Support and Child Custody in Gardner
Whether you are hoping to seek alimony for yourself or you think your spouse may seek it from you, you’ll want to know what the laws around alimony are in Massachusetts. Some states make eligibility dependent on how long you were married, whether one spouse stays home to raise the kids, or whether one spouse makes substantially more money than the other. In any case, an experienced divorce attorney in Massachusetts can guide you through the specific rules.
If you have minor children, one of the most difficult issues when a marriage ends is deciding who will have custody. If the parties cannot agree on their own, a judge will step in and make the decision based on available evidence. It’s important to understand what factors the judge will consider when making this critical custody decision, and a divorce attorney can counsel you on exactly what to expect.
Another significant and often time-consuming issue relates to finances and how marital assets will be split. Most states have a formula that will govern the split for jointly held assets to help calculate spousal support. A divorce lawyer will have the expertise to explain the legal framework for how assets are divided in Massachusetts, and will explain how Massachusetts property laws ultimately dictate each spouse’s ownership rights.
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See our Alimony in Divorse video.
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