A divorce in plain terms results in a split of the couple, their property, and custody of the children. It can come after years of trying to resolve differences or a sudden conflict that cannot be untangled. Once you know divorce is inevitable, choosing a good divorce lawyer becomes the next important step. Most people would correctly assume that a good divorce lawyer has experience, has a long list of satisfied clients, knows all the ins and outs of the law, and can negotiate effectively on your behalf. But what many individuals do not consider, is how the behavior of your divorce attorney can greatly impact the outcome of your divorce. If you want the quick answer to this question, just jump to the bottom.
For example, an attorney that is too aggressive and lacks credibility among his/her colleagues will end up costing both sides more money, and achieve no better result for his/her own client. We have seen couples spend thousands of dollars negotiating over household goods worth only a few hundred dollars. This hard-line negotiating approach by the attorney often gives the client a false sense of confidence. The truth is, a good attorney should be able to give you an idea about how the property will be divided by the judge based on the facts you give him/her. The attorney can then negotiate on your behalf in order to reach the same result before you incur the expense of court.
A good attorney should have a comprehensive knowledge of the local court and judge, such that he/she can help you understand how a judge is likely to divide your property. A divorce attorney in Salt Lake City who is known for being disagreeable will usually end up costing you more money and getting you less property. Why? Because the legal world is in fact, a small world. Once an attorney is known for being unreasonable, other attorneys are unwilling to negotiate, work together, and try and reach an agreement. Judges will often use their discretionary powers to the disadvantage of that attorney because they have no respect for him/her. Rather than finding a reasonable settlement, the parties will need to go to mediation. This results in additional fees including attorney’s fees and mediation fees. It will also delay the divorce. At mediation, the mediator will probably encourage that attorney and spouse to be more reasonable. The last step is to go to court. Court is by far the most expensive step in the process. Both sides will prepare tirelessly to present their cases to the judge. There will be court costs and fees. It will delay the process until the court’s schedule opens up.
Not every case is simple enough to anticipate an outcome. But a good divorce attorney in Salt Lake City should be able to give you general expectations about your case. Choose an attorney who is respected and credible among his/her colleagues. Choose an attorney that will fight hard to get you everything you deserve, but also knows how to respect judges and other attorneys. Not every case should settle before mediation. In fact, we pride ourselves in being tough negotiators, but that never means being disrespectful to the court, other party, or other attorneys. Because in our opinion A good divorce lawyer can always outline reasonable expectations and achieve them with as little cost to you as possible. He/She is respected among colleagues and judges alike and will be a tough, but reasonable, negotiator at all times.