Monday, March 23, 2009

How to Find Family Attorneys

How to Find Family Attorneys

How to find family attorneys when you really need one. Family attorneys can be needed for divorce, child custody, adoption, foster care, separations and many other family issues. Looking for an attorney is a private matter most of the time and you may or may not want to ask friends and family for a referral. If this is the case you still need an attorney and you need one quickly.

It is never a good idea to represent yourself in court. If you cannot afford an attorney, you can ask them if there are any public programs that would give you a free attorney during your initial free consultations. Most attorneys will offer a free consultation and it is highly recommended that you take them up on this offer. The meeting will give you an idea of whether or not the attorney is in line with your thoughts. Because family, divorce and custody issues are so important, you and your attorney will need to understand each other. Don't be intimidated with these meetings, go to as many free consultations as needed until you find the attorney that you are the most comfortable with.

If you are really looking to find family attorneys you will need to spend some time in the process, do not just sign up with the first one you talk to, unless they are fabulous.

How To Find A DUI Attorney

How To Find A DUI Attorney

If you have found yourself with a DUI (driving under the influence of alcohol) or DWI (driving while intoxicated) in some states you should seriously consider hiring a DUI lawyer or attorney. A lawyer is the same thing as an attorney and I use the terms interchangeably in this article. I highly recommend hiring an attorney no matter the severity of the charge.

An attorney can go to court for you. Which means that you may not have to go into the courtroom and face the prosecution, prosecutor or judge.

An attorney can negotiate a deal for you that may be different than the standard sentences given out. Ask your attorney what the normal consequences are for your offense and then ask them to get you a better deal. Remember in any situation in life it never hurts to ask.

If you know of someone that can recommend an attorney for you that is best. If you receive a recommendation ask a lot of questions. Try to get in an open conversation with your friend that is making the recommendation about their case. You may find out what they liked and did not like about their attorney.

Look for a law firm that specializes in DUI cases. The firm may have one or several attorneys. Sometimes several attorneys at the same time can be helpful because many times they will bounce ideas off of each other. Also, if one is not available, another can go into court.

Remember to ask your attorney as many questions as you can think of including what the fees are, what are other fees and costs, how long will the proceedings take, will you lose your drivers license, will you be required to do community service, jail time, jail time served and drunk driving classes.

If you are looking for a DUI attorney, always go for the one that you are most comfortable with.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

A Divorce Story

A Divorce Story

The divorce rate is an unbelievable 50% here in America. The problem lies before the marriage begins. People go into a marriage knowing that divorce is an option. People need to change this terrible pattern by not allowing themselves the option of divorce. If you think divorce is a possibility than you are marrying the wrong person. Stop the marriage now before you put yourself, your finances and possibly your children in a divorce tornado.

I had some friend divorce a few years ago. Boy were they in for a surprise when the judge calculated out their income and decided that neither of them were owed and spousal or child support because they both earned approximately the same amount. The judge also split up the custody of the children to as close to 50/50 as he could get.

Both parties wanted full custody and the wife thought that she would get child support from her ex husband. They were both wrong.

Another thing that adults do not consider when they are planning for a divorce is the rights of the children. Now days judges can require that the children be represented by their own attorney. This makes three parties for the divorce. Neither parent knows what motives the children's lawyer has and neither one can do anything about.

Think twice before you think of getting a divorce.

Should I file Bankruptcy?

Should I file Bankruptcy?

Bankruptcy is a very serious matter and should be given a lot of consideration. The problem is that if you go to a bankruptcy attorney they may talk you into one when you do not need it.

If there is any possible way for you to change your financial situation without going into bankruptcy you may want to try something else first. There may be a way for you to negotiate with your credit card companies and or your mortgage company. Bankruptcy is a black mark on your credit that will be on their for 10 years.

I suggest that you visit first a financial planner that specializes in financial difficulties and then meet with a bankruptcy attorney to review your personal situation. I do not suggest that you go to a credit repair or reduction company, that mark on your credit is just as serious or worse than a bankruptcy so do not do it. The companies that you see advertising on television to help reduce your credit card debt are paid by the U.S. government to help you manage your credit, but you do not want to use them because I like said it puts a devastating mark on your credit.
Once again the U.S. government trying to help us with a program that actually hurts us.

Meet with a financial planner and then a bankruptcy attorney. Once you have all of the facts you will be able to make an informed decision as to whether you should file bankruptcy.

Saturday, March 21, 2009

When Are Personal Injury Attorneys Needed?

When Are Personal Injury Attorneys Needed?

Personal injury attorneys are needed whenever you are severely injured. Even if you do not think that you are in need of one, you should talk to one just in case. Most personal injury attorneys offer free consultations. It will not cost you anything to have a free conversation.

Also, most personal injury attorneys work on a contingency basis. Contingency means that you do not pay them up front. They are paid only if you win your case and they are paid a percentage of the outcome. The amount that they are paid is normally 40 -50% of the settlement or judgment awarded to you. Don't be surprised if it is slightly higher if you are hiring a famous personal injury attorney or one with a great reputation.

Because they are working on a percentage basis they will work as hard as possible to get you the best settlement or judgment. Forty to fifty percent of the outcome may seem like a lot to you, but if you consider that many companies that are responsible for the personal injuries of others will not pay you anything unless they are forced to do so. They will not willingly volunteer to pay for your doctor bills and pay adequate compensation for your injuries.

If you are injured you should at least contact a few personal injury attorneys to see if a lawsuit is best for you.

When To Get A Divorce

When To Get A Divorce

If you would like to get a divorce there are many things that you need to consider first.

The first thing that you need to consider is your family. Do you have children? If so you really should reconsider. The only legitimate reason to get a divorce if there are children involved is physical abuse of either the spouse, the children or both. If there is physical abuse in your relationship, get out now and get help, but most importantly get your children out. There are safe houses that you can contact and they will help you. They will literally send someone over to pick up you and your kids and take you to a safe environment.

If there is not physical abuse but there are one or more children, divorce should not be an option for you. No matter how much of a pain in the behind your spouse is, your children need two parents. Both mothers and fathers are critical in the upbringing of children. You will damage severely and possibly destroy your child's life if you take away one of their parents. There are adults that are still suffering the effects of their parents divorce. Do not do this to your children. Studies have shown that even the most incompetent parent is better than no parent.

Once you are divorced you will have no control over what happens to your children when they are with your ex-spouse. This means that they will be exposed to boyfriends, girlfriends, possibly stepparents and step brothers and sisters.

Another thing to consider when you want to get a divorce is your financial status. A divorce normally means that you will still have the same income but you will need to maintain two households and other costs such as attorneys. If your marital problems are based on financial problems, a divorce certainly will not help it.

You will want to review your property before looking into a divorce. In most states the marital assets will be divided in half unless the property was acquired before the marriage in some cases. You may have to sell your house and divide the proceeds or buy the other spouses share of the home. This division of assets can be very difficult and many times the results are not good for either party.

If you divorce will be going through no matter what or is against your wishes, make sure you hire yourself a great attorney and try to stay friendly with your ex-spouse no matter how hard you need to bite your lip.

Friday, March 13, 2009

Criminal Attorneys Get No Respect

Criminal Attorneys Get No Respect

Criminal attorneys get no respect from their clients or society but without them we would have a completely different world. Without criminal attorneys no one would have confidence in our legal system. If a defendant is not properly defended and given the benefit of innocence, who would be comfortable with our legal system. It would be completely unfair for a defendant to face a trial or court proceeding without proper counsel and representation.

Defendants desperately want a criminal defense attorney, but when their trial is over they are no longer happy. If they received any jail time at all they are not happy even if their brilliant attorney was able to get their sentence reduced. Even if they receive no jail time at all the defendants are not happy at the price they had to pay their defense attorney. Either way the client is not happy.

Luckily for most criminal attorneys, the satisfaction of a job well done and their financial compensation is enough to make up for the lack of respect. And if you see your criminal defense attorney having lunch with a prosecutor, just remember that attorneys on both sides work together every day and it may be in your favor for them to be friends.