Getting through a divorce is a significant undertaking, emotionally and legally. However, consulting a good attorney can bring you peace of mind and protect your legal rights and interests in any family law proceeding. So, where do you find a good attorney who can fulfill your needs?
The article below walks you through how to pick a divorce attorney. And when you are ready to speak to a skilled attorney, reach out to Pakpour Banks LLP. Our legal team has extensive experience, and we seek the best legal solutions tailored to each client’s unique needs.
Do a Basic Search
You should have a decent roster of attorneys to narrow down and choose from at the beginning of your attorney search. And you can find attorneys to put on your list by entering terms such as “divorce lawyer California” on your favorite internet search engine.
You can also build your list by asking friends, family, and colleagues for referrals or by using the State Bar of California’s attorney referral page. Once you have a few suggestions, it is time to dig deeper with research.
Do Your Research
With the list of attorneys you have compiled, look into each attorney’s accolades, experience, reviews, and professional history.
The State Bar of California
You can start by looking up the attorney on the State Bar of California’s attorney search page. When you search for an attorney’s name on this page, you can receive information about:
- Whether they still have an active license,
- How long they have been licensed, and
- Whether they have had any disciplinary issues.
Attorneys with many years in practice and no disciplinary history (or no recent disciplinary history) are typically the better options in your attorney search. And if you find an attorney you like who has a disciplinary issue on their record, you should ask about the issue during a consultation.
The Attorney’s Website
You can also learn a lot about an attorney from their website. On their websites, many attorneys will let you know about the type of experience they have, their values, and if they have won awards for their work.
Also, if an attorney maintains a legal blog on their website, take a look. Blog posts can give you a good idea about what legal matters the attorney focuses on and whether their communication style matches yours.
Online Reviews
Lastly, you can gather helpful information about an attorney by looking at any client reviews they have received. When you search an attorney’s name, your search engine might provide results that include reviews from popular sites such as Avvo, Yelp, or Google.
However, you should take reviews with a grain of salt. Sometimes, a client’s displeasure with a legal service has more to do with their displeasure with laws that don’t favor them than with the attorney who tried to help them.
After conducting your research, you may want to pick two to three attorneys you like the most. In many cases, the next step is to schedule consultations with each attorney on your short list.
Attend a Consultation
Meeting an attorney face-to-face (or voice-to-voice) is often a crucial step in finding a good divorce lawyer. You and the attorney you hire should be able to effectively communicate with each other, and a consultation is a good test for how you might interact.
During a consultation, you should also have an initial conversation about your specific legal needs to see if the attorney can give you a preliminary assessment of what your case might need. To effectively discuss your case concerns with your attorney, you should know the basics of a divorce case, which we review below.
Going Over Divorce Case Basics
California is a no-fault divorce state, which means that you typically do not need to prove fault or blame for the breakdown of the marriage. You just need to prove that irreconcilable differences caused the irremediable breakdown of your marriage.
Residence requirements for a California divorce
Not only must you prove that you have the grounds to divorce, but you must also fulfill the residency requirements to file in California. An individual can file for divorce in this state if they or their spouse has lived here for at least six months.
Once you’ve established you have the grounds and meet the residency requirements, you can file your case and let the court make decisions about your breakup.
Matters covered in a divorce decree
In general, California family courts must make decisions regarding the following for divorcing spouses:
- Property Division—California is a community property state, meaning most assets acquired during the marriage are divided equally. However, there are exceptions, such as property division agreements between the spouses and certain types of marital misconduct.
- Spousal Support—Also known as alimony, spousal support can be awarded to one spouse to maintain their standard of living and help them become self-supporting.
- Child Custody—The court determines the legal and physical custody arrangements for children according to each child’s best interests.
- Child Support—The non-custodial parent typically pays child support based on income guidelines and the child’s needs.
- Attorney’s Fees—One side can be ordered to pay the attorney’s fees of the other side, or both sides.
You may want to ask how the specific property you own may be distributed in your case or what your rights might be as a parent after divorcing.
Going Over Your Financial Needs
Whether you have an attorney or not, a divorce can be expensive. Part of how to pick a divorce attorney is discussing what the attorney’s fees are and how they bill. Does the attorney charge hourly?
Do they handle divorces on a flat-fee basis? Are they willing to negotiate with you according to your needs? If you and the attorney can come to an agreement about fees, it is a positive step toward establishing a good relationship.
Ask Where the Attorney Has Practiced
Speak to the attorney about the courts in which they have tried divorce cases. If the attorney is familiar with the jurisdiction where you need to file your divorce case, you may have a more positive outcome in your case.
An attorney who is familiar with your jurisdiction may know what each family law judge in that court prefers and tips for expediting your case through the system in a positive way.
Ask If the Attorney Practices in Other Areas of Law That Are Helpful
Sometimes, a divorce touches other areas of your life. At Pakpour Banks LLP, our Davis divorce lawyers are highly experienced not only in family law but also in immigration and estate planning, which can be significantly affected by the dissolution of a marriage. Our knowledgeable law team can give you comprehensive advice about your options, obligations, and rights in light of your specific circumstances.
Talk to a Good Lawyer Today
Our family law attorneys at Pakpour Banks LLP have multiple decades of combined experience. We are also award-winning advocates who receive top reviews from our clients. We can effectively champion your rights in any family law matter you face. You can contact us online or give us a call to schedule a consultation.
Brian enters the family law profession with a refreshing approach to these proceedings: heal families; don’t destroy them. In some cases, this means the family is going to look different than it did before. In other cases, this means a new family is created where there was none before. Either way, individuals should leave family court knowing their voices were heard, and with healthy attitudes about themselves and those they love.