Divorce Lawyers - Their Role and Function

by Francisco Segura

When a marriage has broken down, divorce is often inevitable and a divorce lawyer needs to be found; certain qualities are necessary, the most important are listed below:

*Skilled in this area of law *Behave in the proper manner, befitting the situation *Be consistent in their work

Ideally your divorce attorney should be spending half their time dealing with divorce cases and preferably one who is a good mediator. They must be someone you can trust and work with comfortably; someone who has your confidence.

Those attorneys who prefer mediation will look to solve problems by talking and not through the conflict based approach many attorneys wish to provide. A divorce lawyer is a busy person so before you contact them know exactly what information you need them to supply.

Plan each conversation by making an agenda and write down the things you want to talk about; take notes on the content of the conversation and the amount of time spent on phone calls. Physical meetings will cost more so if an item can be dealt with by mail or on the phone this will save money.

Regard your attorney as a resource, not someone you depend on for emotional support because they cost too much for you to use them for sympathy and consolation; besides, you have family and friends for that. Stick to relevant facts when you contact your divorce lawyer; do not discuss other matters regarding your spouse unless they are pertinent to the divorce.

The most important aspect for you to get sorted out is the control of the situation which should be yours and then you will be able to use your lawyer more effectively. You are employing them for their experience but at the same time you need them to understand that it is your divorce and you want to make the decisions about how it is too proceed. You must also let them know that you expect copies of all correspondence to be sent to you for you own records and if you contact them by phone, you expect a reply within one working day.

Not all cases need a courtroom to be decided upon so you could employ a lawyer just to help you with a marital settlement, legal information or advice. After you have organized all your facts and read about how the law works in your case, if you still have questions about the law or the likely outcome, write all your questions down and ask your lawyer. Some people only use a divorce lawyer to re-read and check a marital settlement they have drafted on their own but at least these people have the backup of using a lawyer if all else fails.

About the Author
Francisco Segura owns and operates http://www.privateinvestigatorhere.com/alabama-private-investigator.html Alabama Private Investigator