Board Certified Family Law Specialist Matt Arnold answers the question: “Do I need an attorney to get a Divorce in North Carolina?”
Initial consultations are critically important in the early stages of the divorce process for potential clients to get the unique opportunity to ask questions and get legal advice on their particular situation. However, many people leave their consultation only to think of questions they forgot to ask or follow-up questions to topics discussed.
Ask Your Divorce Attorney These Five Questions
Ask your prospective divorce attorney these five questions to make sure that you are hiring the attorney who is right for your particular case.
- How long have you practiced law in North Carolina?
You need an experienced North Carolina divorce attorney to handle your case and help you achieve the most favorable outcome possible. If you are getting divorced in Charlotte, it would be ideal to hire a local divorce attorney who is familiar with the local judges, rules, procedures, and the court system as a whole.
Note: Hiring a highly respected and recognized attorney who has established connections with local judges and other local attorneys can help you prevail in your divorce case in the long run.
- How many divorce cases have you taken to trial?
Getting an attorney’s answer to this question can help you understand what type of lawyer you are dealing with:
- An attorney who prefers to settle divorce cases and never considers the possibility of going to trial;
- An attorney who does their best to settle but has the expertise and resources to take cases to trial, if necessary; or
- A lawyer who wants to take every case to court even when doing so is unreasonable or unnecessary or simply wants to charge their clients as much as possible.
Ideally, you should pick the one in the middle: the one who is not afraid to take divorce cases to trial when it is reasonable and in the best interests of their client.
- How would you handle my case?
An experienced divorce lawyer should be able to provide a roadmap towards your end goal after learning the details of your case. You need to be confident that you are hiring a North Carolina divorce attorney who can help you achieve your goals and knows exactly how to do it.
At Arnold & Smith, PLLC, our client-focused approach allows us to provide personalized service to each and every client.
- How long will my divorce take?
While you should not expect an attorney to tell you exactly how long it will take to finalize your divorce, an experienced attorney will be able to estimate the time it would take to get a divorce in your case.
Typically, the length of a divorce process depends on the number of contested issues, if any, and each party’s willingness to come to an agreement.
- What can I do to protect myself?
Before you hang up the phone or leave your attorney’s office, it is vital to discuss your next steps to protect your rights. For example, you should ask your attorney whether you should pay alimony or child support while your divorce is pending.
If you are afraid that your spouse will spend or hide the marital assets and money to prevent you from getting your fair share, your attorney can help take steps to protect your finances and assets.
Our attorneys at Arnold & Smith, PLLC, are prepared to answer these and many other questions today. Do not hesitate to schedule a consultation with a North Carolina divorce attorney. Get a phone or video consultation by calling at (704) 370-2828 to speak with our detail-oriented and well-versed lawyers with offices in Charlotte, Lake Norman, and Monroe, please contact Arnold & Smith, PLLC today or find additional resources here.
The family law practice group at Arnold & Smith, PLLC includes two Board-Certified Family Law specialists and one Child Welfare Law specialist, as well as several attorneys with many years of family law experience that are committed to providing a powerful voice to individuals facing the often-tumultuous issues in this area of law. The range of issues our family law clients may be facing include pre- and post-nuptial agreements; separation agreements; post-separation support; child support (both temporary and permanent); absolute divorce; divorce from bed and board; military divorce; equitable distribution of assets; child custody (both temporary and permanent); retirement benefits and divorce; alimony and spousal support; adoption; and emancipation. Because this area of the law is usually emotionally charged and complicated, the family law attorneys at Arnold & Smith, PLLC act with the utmost dedication to ensure that each client understands his or her options, and then act to achieve the best result possible for that client’s particular situation.
Source:
https://www.arnoldsmithlaw.com/family-law-and-divorce.html
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