Generally, no one plans on getting divorced when they decide to marry. However, a lot of times things simply don’t work out between couples. In fact, 50% of the time they don’t, as this percentage of marriage ends in divorce. If you have come to the decision that it is time to end your marriage, you may be wondering what the next step is. Well, the answer to that is probably to seek out a divorce lawyer. If you’re not sure how to find a divorce lawyer, don’t worry. We have you covered. At Litvak Litvak Mehrtens and Carlton, we know what it takes to not only be a good divorce lawyer, but to be the best. In this post, we’ll explain how to find a divorce lawyer and what to look for in them.
Do you have to have an attorney for a divorce?
Having an attorney is not required to get divorced, but it is advisable. If you and your spouse can come to an agreement regarding the terms of your divorce, you may file for an uncontested divorce without a lawyer. The terms of the divorce might include anything from child support and decision making to alimony and division of property.
Even if you do agree on the terms, we recommend that you at least have a lawyer look over your agreement. This will help to ensure that you’re not overlooking any important issues and that your rights and interests remain protected. A good divorce attorney can also make sure that your uncontested divorce agreement is likely going to get accepted by the court.
If you and your spouse do not agree on all terms of the divorce, this is a contested divorce. For a contested divorce, you will definitely need a divorce attorney.
How to find a good divorce attorney
When searching for a divorce attorney, there are some things you should look for to make sure they are good at their job and will get you the best possible outcome. For starters, you’ll want someone skilled in family law matters and has years of experience behind them. There are many different areas of law, and lawyers in each area have a different set of skills. It goes without saying, but in the case of a divorce, you aren’t going to want an attorney who specializes in personal injury cases.
With that in mind, you can begin conducting your search for an attorney. When you began wondering how to find a good divorce lawyer, your first thought was probably to Google it. Perhaps that’s how you ended up here. That is not a bad option, as most all searches for any kind of service ends up getting done through a search engine.
When browsing the web for attorneys, though, you want to take extra precautions to make sure they are good at what they do. Just because an ad popped up and it was the first thing you saw doesn’t mean they are the best divorce lawyer. The last thing you want to do is hire someone on a whim and realize halfway through your divorce proceedings that you need a new lawyer.
Don’t underestimate the power of a review. This might be the best way to tell if an attorney is right for you. Reading testimonials from real clients is the best way to hear the unfiltered truth. From these reviews, you can gauge whether the lawyer is easy to work with and if they were successful or at the very least helpful to their client.
Should I tell my divorce lawyer everything?
In some cases, disclosing everything to your lawyer may not be in your best interest. However, in the case of a divorce, you should always have full disclosure. This may be difficult for such a personal subject, as you might feel the need to protect your or your spouse’s privacy. Without knowing all the details surrounding your case, your attorney might find it more difficult to get you the best outcome. Not only that, but it might end up hurting your case in the long run.
The reason that your divorce lawyer should be aware of the details surrounding your case is so they can prepare themselves for whatever happens in the settlement conference or courtroom. If you do not share something with them and it ends up coming out later, this can be extremely harmful to your case.
You are entrusting your lawyer with a very personal and important thing. They use the information you provide them to establish an effective strategy to achieve the most favorable outcome on your behalf. If they remain in the dark about certain things, they might get blindsided in court. This can hurt your legal strategy and put your entire case in jeopardy.
Even if things feel shameful or awkward to speak about, you should still disclose this information with them.
What type of information should I share with my divorce attorney?
Some examples of information that people may try to keep hidden that could come back to haunt them include the following situations:
- Mental, verbal, or physical abuse.
- Hiding financial information or assets from your spouse or vice-versa.
- Either spouse participated in an illicit affair.
- Instances of domestic violence or child neglect.
- Verbal threats or threatening messages between the spouses.
- Blackmailing your spouse or vice-versa.
- Using social media to publicly post private details about the divorce.
If you don’t know what all you should share with your divorce lawyer, you should ask them what they need to know. Odds are, they’ve been through similar circumstances several times before in other divorce proceedings. They should know the proper questions to ask, but you should always remain open and honest in your answers.
Can my spouse and I share an attorney?
If you were curious about how to find a divorce lawyer, your spouse probably was, too. Some people try to take an easier route by using the same lawyer for both parties. However, this can not be done. Whether the divorce is uncontested or not, the rules of conduct that govern lawyers forbid them from representing both spouses in a divorce.
The reason for this is that it would create a conflict of interest. Even if both spouses remain amicable, the fact of the matter is that their interests, needs, and rights are different from one another. A good attorney fights for the best possible outcome for their client, but this can’t be done when he or she is playing both sides of the court.
Contact Denver Divorce Lawyers Litvak Litvak Mehrtens and Carlton Today
If you are wondering how to find a divorce lawyer, look no further. Since our founding in 1952, our attorneys at Litvak Litvak Mehrtens and Carlton, P.C. continue to work diligently to provide exceptional legal services to the state of Colorado. An experienced Denver family lawyer is a valuable asset for families that are going through challenges such as divorce. To schedule a consultation with one of our lawyers today, call 303-951-4506 or complete our online intake form here.
