Family conflicts are usually very sensitive and emotional. While the hope of many people is to deal with family issues ‘in-house’, the truth is that these conflicts can easily escalate, thereby necessitating the need for help. This is where family lawyers come in.
As you may already know, there are different specializations in law practice and the aspect that deals with family and domestic issues are family law.
Lawyers specialized in this area are your best chance for navigating any family-related issues and finding solutions in the most effective way.
There are several things to consider before hiring family lawyers, such as location, experience, and dedication.
We already have a complete guide on that.
This article, however, focuses on the reasons why you should consult and work with a family lawyer for any family-related disputes, and here they are:
Table of Contents
A Family Lawyer Understands Your Situation
Family lawyers are uniquely qualified to help you and protect your interest with any family issues due to their training and experience.
They’ve already dealt with people in the same or similar situations before and know how to help you. And unlike the person going through the problem, the lawyer can provide solid judgment devoid of emotion or bias.
Having a go at family legal issues yourself means you are shooting yourself in the leg.
You are bound to mess up the paperwork and facts that can help you put forward a strong case.
This is especially important for prenuptial agreements, divorces, child custody, and so on.
“If you are planning to file for a divorce from your partner, it is extremely important that you understand the available options, that you know your rights, and receive advice on the best steps to take before you begin any of the legal proceedings,” says Laura Gillis, a Phoenix divorce lawyer.
The above advice also applies to any family-related legal issues. Let the professionals help you navigate the legal proceedings to improve the chances of having favorable outcomes.
Take Off Your Load
Family legal issues are generally rough and very stressful.
The period of the dispute is usually very turbulent for many people and having an experienced family lawyer can help take some of the load off your chest.
You know there’s someone already handling the legal matters related to a situation.
Consider a situation where someone is trying to get a divorce.
The person can focus on their personal lives or on their kids instead of worrying about the legal proceedings of the divorce.
The situation will get better, even if a little bit and that small difference can mean a lot during difficult family disputes.
More Favorable Outcome
Your personal interest is of utmost importance to your lawyer. In fact, that’s the highest priority of your lawyer.
While it’s important to understand that everything won’t go your way in court, you still need a good lawyer to increase the chances of having a favorable outcome.
There is no winner sometimes in family disputes.
The outcome feels like a lose-lose situation for both parties. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to make the outcome as favorable to you as possible.
A good lawyer can ensure you pay fairly for alimony or child support instead of having to pay too much.
If you are awarded custody of your children, your lawyer can also help you get the child support you need. Marital estates will also be shared fairly.
Maintain Your Privacy
The family law court is a public venue, and information provided to the court can generally be assessed by the public.
Since family matters are very personal, sensitive, and personal information may end up in court.
Such information may be health records, educational records, personal health records, and statements by spouses and other family members.
If you are concerned about your privacy, you need to inform your lawyer as soon as you hire them, as protecting privacy in family law matters involves careful forethought and planning.
Your lawyer will sit with you and try to come up with a strategy to protect your privacy. This may involve using mediation to resolve disputes.
Meditation is done outside the courtroom and thus out of the prying eyes of the public, and it aims to negotiate a settlement without ever going to court.
Both parties need to reach an agreement, and mediation sessions are attended by both parties and their attorneys.
If an agreement can’t be reached during mediation, the case proceeds to trial.
Your attorney can still request for information revealed during the trial to be removed from public record.
However, both parties must agree to this, and the judge must be convinced of the need to remove this information from the public record.
