by Katherine Mish, Esq. of Treasure Coast Legal

When you are faced with a pending divorce, it's difficult to know where to turn, especially if you haven't had any prior legal dealings. It is easy to fear divorce when you hear your friend’s and neighbor’s horror stories about their long drawn out divorces and sky high legal fees. If you don’t know where to turn, here are a few tips on choosing the right attorney for you.

1. Be wary of the attorney who makes guarantees.

Just because they agree with you doesn’t mean you are right. They may be making promises they cannot back up just to get your money. Be wary of the attorney who promises you a particular outcome. Divorce can be cut and dry, but the whole point of divorce is to separate your assets and liabilities and resolve any custody issues. You usually do not come out of the case with everything you wanted. Even when a spouse cheats, Florida is a no fault state, and cheating is not considered when dividing assets or determining alimony. An attorney can evaluate your best day in court, but they cannot promise that you will be able to avoid alimony or never pay child support. There are no guarantees, so be sure to choose an attorney who is honest and up-front with you about your case, not one who tells you one thing at the beginning and then changes their tune as soon as they have your money.

2. Find an attorney you are comfortable with.

Some attorneys are nurturing, while others are very aggressive and sometimes abrasive. Be sure to find an attorney that you are comfortable speaking to and working with. You should never be afraid to tell your attorney something or to call them when you have an issue. That being said, remember that your attorney is not your friend or therapist. You are usually paying an hourly fee to talk to the attorney about your case and it would be much cheaper to call someone else to complain about your future ex-spouse than your attorney.

3. Make sure you understand the fee agreement.

Whenever you hire an attorney, you should sign a retainer or fee agreement that lays out their representation and the costs. Take your time and discuss the retainer agreement with the attorney in order to fully understand all of the costs at the beginning of your case. There is nothing worse than getting a bill and not understanding what you were being charged for and why.

If you have questions about divorce, or would like to schedule a consultation to discuss divorce or some other family law matter, please call our office at 772-283-2626.