When is it Time to Hire a Lawyer?
Hiring a lawyer is an important step in planning and negotiating most legal proceedings. As to the exact time to hire a lawyer, the answer, in most cases, is the sooner, the better. But why is this so? What about trying to save some money and see what you can do on your own first? Looking at planning a divorce, for example, you will see there are definite advantages to finding the right Family Law lawyer as soon as you are thinking about divorce.
Right from the beginning, when you are still in the thinking stage, a Family Law lawyer can help you sort through your reasons for wanting a divorce. Sometimes after talking with a lawyer, you may decide to try marriage counseling or other ideas before proceeding with the divorce. They can also tell you what steps you will need to take to obtain a divorce and if a no-contest or contested divorce would work the best for your situation. And, should you decide to proceed with a divorce, the lawyer will map out their strategy for representing you and how you will be billed.
Trying to go it alone, even for a little while, can prove to be time-consuming and costly. While it is true the Florida Statutes on divorce will give you the legal details, many areas are difficult for an untrained person to understand. Another part of representing yourself is figuring out what paperwork is needed and the best way to fill it all out. Then you must know where and how to file the paperwork. Even if you have no minor children created or adopted from the marriage, no marital real property, no disagreement regarding alimony and equitable distribution of assets and liabilities, and both parties agree on the divorce, there are still a lot of hoops to jump through.
Bringing in a Family Law lawyer right from the beginning will ensure the entire legal process for divorce from the initial filing to mediation, too (if mediation is unsuccessful), building a strong case to final representation in the courtroom will be done correctly and professionally. In most instances, the financial outcome of a well-handled divorce will be greater than the lawyer’s cost. Your lawyer will also be able to help with knowing what type of proofs you will need and locating expert witnesses when necessary.
If you are considering a divorce and have questions or concerns and live in the Florida counties of Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Miami-Dade, Broward, Hillsborough, or Orange or in Washington DC or New York, you can contact board-certified Family Law attorney Grant Gisondo to set up a free, initial, in-office consultation. He has been in a successful Family Law practice for over a decade. His office is located in Palm Beach Gardens, where he is available Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM and for new clients on Saturday from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM. To call for an appointment, the number is (561) 530-4568. You can check his website https://gisondolaw.com to learn more about Attorney Gisondo and how his practice can help.