Divorce is the termination of a legal union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage. Divorce dissolves the bonds of matrimony between two parties and requires the sanction of the court in a legal process. The legal process of divorce involves the distribution of property, child and spousal support and child custody, as well as dividing the debt the married couple has assumed.
The court always allows an individual to represent themselves in court and be referred to as a “pro se litigant.” If there are questions regarding children, debts and property and the inability to come to a conclusion, each side should hire an attorney to assist with the process. Attorney’s can only represent one of the parties. It would be in both parties best interest if one person has an attorney, the other should have an attorney, as well.
When hiring a Miami Divorce Lawyer, it is necessary to do your homework and find out a little bit about the attorney and the firm they represent. Of course, you will want a Miami Divorce Lawyer of high moral character who will work for the benefit of the entire family and not get the most for their client at the expense of the other. In this day and age where equality is more of an issue than it was years ago, the division of the marital goods should be done equally and the attorneys representing the divorcing parties should always see to that.
Ask about the issues that are of importance to you and find out if those are issues your attorney can or does negotiate successfully. Be sure you are as specific as possible about those matters and what the limitation is that are acceptable to you in the event you may have to make concessions.
Before beginning any divorce proceedings have a signed contract in place outlining the work the Miami Divorce Lawyer will do and the all the fees involved, including the attorneys fee and administrative fees. Typically, a Miami Divorce Lawyer will work on a flat fee plus expenses basis but have a contingency in place to bill hourly if a certain threshold of time is reached or an unforeseen circumstance occurs that extends the time and work involved beyond a reasonable time frame. Also included in the contract should be who is responsible for payment of the attorney fees.
If the attorney you speak with is not going to handle your case personally, ask to meet and speak with the attorney who will be handling your case/ make sure there is an understanding of all parties that you, the client, will kept informed of all aspects of the case and participate in making any decisions.