Divorce can become a life-changing decision, not just for you but for the entire family, including your kids and both parents. It is difficult to tell when you really need a divorce lawyer for an adversarial case, or if a Massachusetts divorce mediator can help you come to an agreement with less emotion, wasted time, and cost. But when you are in an environment where you cannot take any more steps to make things better, you need to find a lawyer who understands all aspects of Massachusetts General Law Chapter 28, the chapter concerning divorce, and can tell you about your rights, including child custody. In order to get the right advice and avoid wasting money on divorce, you must find the right lawyer in advance. Here are the things a divorce lawyer should be able to provide to you.
Stay realistic
You need a lawyer that can provide you with the best ways to reason your case at the court. You must find a lawyer with whom you can share everything. The lawyer should be a good listener and should not frustrate you in the process of providing you justice. If you hire a lawyer that cannot make immediate decisions on every new information you provide, you will be hesitant to share things with them.
Stay focused
You and your lawyer should understand what you expect from the divorce. You both should be able to see the goals together without letting your emotions jump in. If you stay confused during the court hearing, you will prolong your suffering of going to the courts again and again. Your lawyer should provide clear goals for your divorce while also building plans for them.
Set requirements
When you meet a divorce lawyer, you are directly applying for requirements like child custody and finances. Before you head to the court, the lawyer should be able to make an arrangement where you can negotiate the terms of the divorce. Be sure your lawyers is conversant with the 2021 Massachusetts Child Support Guidelines, which take effect on October 4, 2021. It makes the process faster while you can negotiate the settlement with your spouse’s lawyer.
Make a list
You must do your own research to find the best lawyers for you and talk with them to shortlist at least three lawyers for the final decision. Not all lawyers have the expertise to provide the right solutions. Make sure that the lawyer you find specializes in family law and divorce. Go through their portfolios to learn about their career. Take the help of people you know to find a trusted lawyer that can take your case.
Beware of red flags
You will find all kinds of lawyers trying to sell themselves to you. You need to have an eye to find out if the attorney actually understands all your concerns or is just pretending in order to get your case. There are no guarantees in the process of a divorce, and if a lawyer promises you too much, you may need to look for another one and inform yourself about pro se divorce from a self-help legal site such as MassLegalHelp. Explore their site and use what you learn to ask the questions most pertinent to your case as you shop for a divorce lawyer or mediator.