Legal representation is an essential aspect of people’s lives. There are many legal procedures that one encounters throughout their lifetime. As times change, the law becomes more complex and requires help from experts for one to comprehend what is expected of them. New laws and policies are set by the federal and state governments to make justice delivery better.
One of the legal processes that require adequate legal representation is divorce. Divorce occurs when two legally married people decide to exit their marriage. Since marriage is recognized by the law, its formulation and dissolution must be handled through the relevant arms of the government. If one is in Kent, it is advisable that they find a divorce lawyer from Kent. Finding lawyers from one’s locality eases the divorce process as they are conversant with the judicial system of the state one lives in. However, it is challenging to find a divorce lawyer Kent, Washington residents trust. Many law firms and independent lawyers have come up over the past few years. Although many of them claim to be professionals, one is not guaranteed excellent services and might miss justice due to poor representation.
Why Does One Need a Divorce Lawyer?
Legal representation could be costly, depending on the nature of a case. Divorce cases involve many technical aspects that could affect one’s entire life. For instance, one might lose property at the end of a divorce process. In some cases, one could lose custody of children if they had any before the divorce. Here are some more reasons why one should look for a divorce lawyer before initiating a divorce process.
● Access To Legal Advice
The divorce process is surrounded by a lot of emotions. This makes people vulnerable; hence easy for one to make the wrong decisions. Divorce lawyers play the role of advisors for any steps that involve the law in the divorce process. Most couples filing for divorce have minimum knowledge of matrimonial law and family court processes. Divorce lawyers fill in where the couples have insufficient knowledge of the process. One needs to know which words to use and in case any legal loopholes could save them from the adverse impacts of the divorce. To achieve this, one should get a seasoned divorce lawyer; otherwise, they risk being misadvised.
● Easy Time Handling Divorce Paperwork
A divorce is accompanied by a lot of paperwork. Every detail about the co-owned properties, children, and interactions between divorcees should be documented. The work of a divorce attorney is to do all the paperwork and documenting work. This gives the divorcees time to focus on other stuff, such as their jobs. One might receive unfair judgment in a family court when the divorce papers are incomplete or wrongly filled.
● Alternative Suggestions
There are several other options that couples can opt for instead of a divorce. These options can only be exploited with the help of a seasoned divorce lawyer. For instance, a couple could opt for co-parenting instead of going through the divorce process. Divorce lawyers can draft proposals in favor of their clients. If one party presents the proposal, the divorce lawyer will advise their client on whether to accept the proposal or not.
There are many more reasons why one needs a divorce lawyer. In most cases, judges in the family court are not lenient on divorcees representing themselves. If one party is being represented by a divorce lawyer, it could be hard for the unrepresented side to swing the court’s decision in their favor.
What To Look for In a Divorce Lawyer
As stated earlier, finding a good divorce lawyer in Kent, Washington, is an uphill task. However, there are several ways in which one can assess the expertise and suitability of a lawyer; they include:
● Reading Reviews and Recommendations
Reviews and recommendations are the best ways to gauge how good a divorce lawyer is. Reviews give a clear picture of the quality of representation one should expect from a divorce lawyer they hire. If one is new in Kent or any other city, they can ask for recommendations from locals and people that have gone through the divorce process. There are many ways of accessing reviews, the most common today is the internet. One can read what other clients say about the divorce lawyer or firm through social media platforms and websites. Print media is also one of the traditional ways to get recommendations and reviews.
● Ask For the Lawyer’s Portfolio
The quality of representation by a lawyer is seen in the number and magnitude of cases they have won. As a client, one is free to ask their lawyer about other related cases they won. Careers such as law are dependent on one’s experience in the field of practice. This implies that the more the number of representations, the more suitable the lawyer is.
● Look At the Size of The Firm
Many lawyers practice under law firms. This implies that one has to go through the firm then a divorce lawyer will be allocated to take their case. In such situations, one should look at the size of the firm. The number of lawyers working under a firm could indicate proper representation. It implies that the lawyer handling the divorce has access to more information through consultations. Also, many judges in the family court have personal relationships with lawyers from reputable firms. This makes it easy to get a favorable judgment when taken to court for a divorce.
There are many more indicators of a good divorce lawyer. However, those mentioned above stand out as the main ones. Aspects such as cost could not accurately describe a good divorce lawyer or law firm. Some good lawyers handle divorce cases pro-bono. Some, on the other hand, charge exorbitant fees and deliver poor representation. Divorce is a sensitive process, especially when kids are involved. Kids need to be informed of the process and possible outcomes as they grow to avoid misunderstandings in the future.
