FAMILY LAW ARTICLES
Don’t Let Reluctance Stop You From Hiring an Attorney
Today, we want to discuss the reluctance many people have to hiring attorneys. When you haven’t had many dealings with the court system, hiring an attorney can seem intimidating. It’s not the process that’s scary. It’s a fear of the unknown that stops people.
Most attorneys are entirely committed to helping their clients and making the process easy. But many people fear the cost and process and never take the first step of talking to a lawyer.
Why People Are Reluctant to Hire a Lawyer
In my experience, people reluctant to hire a lawyer will only do it when they absolutely have to have one. They will put it off and try to deal with the situation independently. In the scenarios we see in family law cases, the person will be served with papers. They often respond without a lawyer if they’re not ordered to be in court on a set date.
If it’s just a matter of filing a response, they file it without a lawyer. As long as they can successfully respond without a significant problem, many will continue to handle the matter without a lawyer. What happens when they get a notice to appear in court or something they don’t feel confident handling on their own? That’s usually when they will call a lawyer. Unfortunately, suppose it’s very short notice, or they’ve already put the process in motion without a lawyer. In that case, it may be too late for a good outcome.
Reasons to Call a Lawyer as Soon as Possible
If you’re going to call an attorney for assistance, give them as much lead time as possible. For example, courts schedule mediation appointments in a child custody case to work out agreements before going to court. Suppose you don’t give the lawyer time before this appointment. In that case, they won’t have time to set the case strategy, file pleadings with the court, prepare the mediator, and other considerations.
We’ve had clients contact us the day before, and it’s just not enough time to prepare adequately. The more time you can give your attorney, the more effective his representation will be. And that’s precisely what you want and deserve.
It’s never too late to hiring an attorney. But the sooner you do, the better chance they will have to represent you to their most total ability.
If you’re looking for a family law attorney or have questions about an upcoming case, we’re here to help. Contact us today.
