- Welcome to SPARC Forums.
Where can I find a good attorney?
There are a number of ways to locate a competent attorney:
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Talk to friends, neighbors, and co-workers for referrals.
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Use the Lawyer Locator at Lawyers.com
- As a last resort, look in the Yellow Pages© for 'Family Law' attorneys in your area.
Make sure that any attorney recommended to you practices mainly in Family Law. For more on that subject, and tips on hiring an attorney, please read Hiring An Effective Attorney and How To Hire the Right Attorney.
What are some guidelines for working with my attorney?
Treat your attorney as you would any skilled professional who you've hired. Respect his knowledge and ability, but don't assume that he'll take care of every detail, don't act like you're his only client, and don't be afraid to question and discuss his methods or overall strategy. He does have a strategy, doesn't he?
For some common-sense guidelines to working with your attorney, we suggest you read through "The Layman's Guide To Being A Good Client".
Can I change attorneys in the middle of my case?
You can, but be cautious about doing so. Most judges don't think much if you change attorneys during the case once, but more than that and they start to wonder if the problem isn't with you and not the attorney(s).
Don't, however, be afraid to change attorneys if you feel you truly aren't getting competent representation. The only thing worse than having to change attorneys is sticking with one who isn't doing his job (and who will eventually lose your case for you).
What do I do if my attorney wants to quit in the middle of my case?
Attorneys quit for a variety of reasons, the main ones being:
- Client financial problems
- Client personality problems
- Conflict-of-Interest problems
- Unethical attorney problems
For a more detailed write-up on this subject, please read What To Do If Your Attorney Wants To Quit.
My ex is asking for attorney's fees. Will I have to pay for my spouse's attorney?
Although awards of attorney's fees are less commonplace these days, they may still be granted. If your spouse has no income to speak of, or your incomes are deemed "disproportionate" (you make considerably more than your spouse), the judge may act to "level the playing field" by making the more affluent spouse pay some or all of the less well-to-do spouse's legal fees.
This often has the unintended side-effect of increasing litigation, sometimes to extremes. Here's how it works: If your opponent has to pay the bills, the more you litigate, the more it depletes them financially.
Therefore, it makes sense for you to get the most expensive attorney you can, and then wage the most effective (read: expensive) litigation you can, asking for extra depositions, private investigators, etc etc, all of which they have to pay for. And not only do they have to pay your legal bills, they have to pay for theirs at the same time.
It's easy to see how awards of attorney's fees can financially obliterate the paying spouse and put them at a tremendous disadvantage.