Instead of taking a chance, find a divorce attorney to ensure that you are treated fairly by the court system. Take a minute to read this short guide so that you can determine how a qualified family attorney can protect your interests and those of your family.

Property and assets are a major point of contention in a divorce proceeding. Having more property, money and assets makes the entire divorce more complicated. In dividing the property, each party must make a determine of both the fair market value of the property (as well as its value to each party).

While this might be straightforward with respect to retirement accounts, cash and marketable securities, valuing a business or other intangible asset is more complicated. A competent divorce attorney has the expertise to help you determine the value of each asset. Even though property is a major concern, it is custody and support that constitutes the greatest complicating factor in a divorce

Many divorce proceedings get ugly when it comes time to negotiate custody arrangements. The legal standard in most states is to fashion a solution that is in “the best interest of the children.”

Children should not be used as “weapons” to harm an estranged spouse. They had no say in the decision to get divorced in the first place. Custody issues can be further complicated where the child is older and the state law gives the child a voice in determining custody and residence. As you can see, the complicating factors associated with custody and support of children underscore the need to hire a family lawyer to ensure that the custody and support arrangement are fair and in the best interest of the children involved.

If you have property or custody issues, you have no business representing yourself. Instead, you need to hire a divorce attorney who can help you protect your rights. Find an attorney by researching them on the internet or asking trusted friends or relatives for a referral.

Regardless of the method you choose, make sure that you select an attorney that is experienced in divorce and custody issues. They will need that expertise to help you value and divide your assets and craft a custody and support order that is fair to you. A divorce attorney will give you the peace of mind in knowing that you have someone else looking after what is best for you and your family.

Look, representing yourself in a divorce proceeding is a stupid move, especially if you have a lot of property or you have minor children. It is difficult to value and fairly divide property, particularly where your spouse is represented and you are not. More importantly, where you have to negotiate child support and custody, you are at a significant disadvantage when compared to someone who is represented by competent divorce counsel.

If you objectively consider the high stakes involved, you must admit that hiring a divorce attorney represents a wise investment of your time and effort.

Find out more on how to select a divorce lawyer.

Acceptable situations for aggressive advocacy include:

- When there’s a bit of legislation that resolves an issue in your favor, and the opposing side is unaware of it.

- When a client has been informed that prevailing is unlikely, yet the client insists on paying for continued legal action to take a principled stand.

- When the other side is using bullying methods, it’s appropriate to take an aggressive stance to demonstrate that intimidation will not work.

Aggression can be detrimental when the parties are attempting to settle and the attorney is aggressively looking for a reason to reject each offer rather than trying to problem solve.

An example of this behavior would be at mediation where an aggressive attorney responds to a proposal with, “This offer is ridiculous and a waste of time. Come up with something better.” Instead of presenting a counter-offer that allows for further dialog, and is more likely to end in settlement.

The aggressive perspective in the first example detracts from negotiations and moves the parties further away from settling. This sort of behavior typically increases emotions and moves everyone into a less productive state. Aggressive actions like this could ruin an otherwise easily settled case, and drag it on into an expensive and time-consuming trial that might lead to a worse outcome than what was previously offered throughout mediation.

Rebecca Long Okura is a Utah divorce lawyer.

categories: divorce,divorce mediation,divorce settlement,divorce lawyer,divorce attorney,family law,conflict resolution,mediation,law,legal,lawyer,attorney

So naturally, you will want someone extremely capable to be on your side throughout the divorce. Apart from the support of friends and family, you should also be on the lookout for a good divorce lawyer. Of course, to make sure that things really do swing your way, you should be on the lookout for the best divorce lawyer you can find.

Usually, the image of a best divorce lawyer brings to mind someone who is a real legal shark, who can win any case with his or her eyes closed–and comes with a pret-ty hefty price tag. Divorce lawyers’ fees generally range in the thousands, and you are usually expected to come up with the retainer fee upfront. That is definitely not good news for someone who might already be grappling with financial issues thanks to the current economic climate and to his or her ongoing divorce as well.

Luckily, there are some ways that will allow you to be able to afford a good–or even the best–divorce lawyer. Some states have programs for people with modest means, usually run by the State Bar, while there are also programs that allow you to use your home’s equity to come up with the needed retainer fee. You can also check out low-cost legal programs.

But of course, if you have already explored all of your options and found out that you really can’t afford the best divorce lawyer in town, you should probably stop working so hard already. Look into representing yourself–there are people who have successfully won their own cases even without a lawyer–or even find a cheaper lawyer who has experience and knows exactly what you need.

When you want tofind a good divorce lawyer be sure to know exactly what you are hoping to gain. There are many good lawyers but how youfind a good divorce attorney will depend on what you want to accomplish.

The same goes for services. Photography, hair styling, interior decorating–any one who charges a penny for them will be regarded with some suspicion because people automatically think that their quality of service can’t be all that good if they cost too little. Legal services that are extremely affordable are another example. Lawyers have got to cost top dollar or they are probably scam artists or deliver low-quality service.

If you’re undergoing a divorce, however, you’re going to want to save some money. Divorce proceedings can be pretty expensive, after all. Against popular opinion, you might want to look into taking on the services of a cheap divorce lawyer. “Is there such a thing?” you’re probably wondering. Well, “cheap” is usually a matter of perspective when it comes to cheap divorce lawyers. What seems affordable to a wealthy person will still be out of reach to people earning a regular amount of money. What seems affordable to you may be expensive to other people, and far too cheap for the wealthy individual. The important thing to consider in choosing a cheap divorce lawyer is whether or not the fees will suit your budget.

In looking for cheap divorce lawyers, you shouldn’t just jump at the first affordable service you encounter. You should make a list of all the divorce lawyers you find, and then meet them one by one. Get a feel for how they do business and if they operate professionally. Learn more about their background and experience as well as their education and training, and don’t forget to find out if they have the right stuff to secure a victory for you in your divorce. Tell them all about your situation and find out if they have had experience handling similar cases.

The important thing to remember is to not get swayed by extremely low legal fees. There are some lawyers out there who will use that as a way to attract clients, even if they don’t have the appropriate experience.

When you are looking for the top divorce lawyers be sure to know exactly what you are hoping to gain. There are many good lawyers but finding the top divorce lawyer for you will depend on what it is you want to accomplish.