What to Expect from a Good PA Divorce Lawyer
Divorce and other Pennsylvania family law matters are generally very emotionally charged legal issues that often involve very personal subjects, including your home, children and finances. As a party to a PA divorce, you must do what you can to protect yourself by choosing competent, high-quality legal representation. There is nothing worse than coping with the emotional devastation that accompanies divorce while also having to deal with the frustration of poor or incompetent legal representation.
Once you’ve made the decision to divorce, your first step should be to hire a skilled Pennsylvania divorce attorney. A skilled Pennsylvania divorce attorney has years of experience in child custody, child support, property distribution and fault/no fault divorce proceedings. While your divorce lawyer is not a miracle worker, he or she should also be able to fulfill some basic expectations:
Disclosure
Your divorce attorney should be willing to discuss your case in full with you. This includes what is currently happening in your case and what the attorney expects to happen in the future. A good divorce attorney will develop and suggest strong but flexible strategies for you. He or she should offer you multiple options even if they anticipate that you won’t want to choose some of these options. Your attorney’s job is to pass along legal information and to provide recommendations for the best legal outcome possible. A divorce attorney who does not involve you in your own divorce is not someone you should allow to continue to represent you.
Notification
You should be made aware of every document that is filed with the PA courts in connection with your case. Additionally, your attorney should notify you of every communication with opposing counsel. You have a right to be a party to every decision concerning your divorce. Your divorce lawyer should keep you well informed throughout the divorce process so that together, you can determine how to proceed in your best interest.
Goals
Pennsylvania divorce lawyers are hired for their counsel on legal matters. You can expect your lawyer to have different goals for you than you have for yourself at the beginning of the PA divorce process. Your lawyer is not emotionally involved in the situation and can often see the legal issues that will need to be addressed with more clarity. Your divorce attorney may have recommendations that you are strongly against; however, he or she should also remain flexible and responsive to his or her client’s wishes. Weigh your attorney’s advice carefully before making important decisions.
Communication
Responsiveness is a crucial characteristic of a good PA divorce lawyer. A good divorce attorney will never take more than a couple of days to return a phone call or email from a client. Lack of regular communication is a common problem with divorce lawyers. More complaints are lodged against attorneys for not returning phone calls than for any other reason.
Availability
Divorce attorneys are generally very busy people. Appointments with your divorce attorney are opportunities for you to assess where you are in the PA divorce process and in what direction your case is heading. Your attorney should be reasonably flexible with regard to scheduling appointments. If your attorney cancels or rushes you through your appointments, you may want to consider hiring someone else to represent you.
Pennsylvania family law matters, including divorce, often involve very personal issues including your children, home, and income. The best thing you can do for yourself if you are a party to a PA divorce is to secure a trustworthy and dependable divorce attorney. Attorney Jason B. Martin at The Martin Law Firm works hard to achieve the best results for his clients while maintaining an open, trusting relationship with them. Please contact us today for a free consultation at 215-646-3980.
Jason Martin, Esq. is an experienced PA family law attorney who assists clients seeking divorce, child custody, child support, spousal support and alimony in Montgomery County, Bucks County, Chester County, Delaware County and Philadelphia County. Contact The Martin Law Firm for a no-obligation, confidential consultation.