If you want to file for divorce and have to consider a property and financial settlement and or parenting arrangements, it’s absolutely essential that you engage an experienced family lawyer. They will have the skills, expertise and knowledge required to give you the best possible chance of securing a favourable settlement in areas like asset distribution and child custody.
In particularly acrimonious splits (such as when one party was unfaithful), having an impartial legal expert on your side is very important to ensure you don’t become overwhelmed by emotions and make legal decisions that aren’t favourable for you in the long-run. The following will take a look at the primary reasons why you absolutely need to engage a family lawyer when you choose to get divorced.
Expertise
The first and most obvious benefit of engaging a family lawyer to assist you with your divorce proceedings is that you’ll get access to their experience and legal skill. When you are dealing with complex property settlement or child custody disputes, having an experienced family law solicitor on your side can make all the difference.
It’s especially good to engage a family lawyer who has an extensive background dealing with cases similar to yours. Ideally, they will also have additional accreditations and training that mark them as a specialist in family law (for example they might be trained in alternative dispute resolution).
Minimise your stress and anxiety
Another reason hiring a family lawyer to help you through your divorce is so necessary, is the fact they will help you reduce your stress and anxiety. No doubt, dealing with the emotional turmoil of a relationship breakdown can be mentally exhausting and it can be really helpful to have an organised professional behind you.
Having a solicitor on your side means that you have less paperwork and research that you need to do yourself, allowing you to relax and cope better with the emotional stress of your divorce. This is especially helpful when you have children who are caught in the crossfire and are uncertain about their future with each parent.
Avoid making costly mistakes
The legal system is complicated, and this is why there is an entire profession around providing consultancy to everyday people like yourself. Attempting to navigate the complexities of the family court system on your own invites a whole range of problems that will set you back and lessen your chances of getting the outcome you desire.
When you hire a family law solicitor to assist you, you minimise the risk of making a silly mistake with paperwork or some other issue that will set you back. It would be terrible if your chances of securing custody of your children were jeopardised because you failed to read the fine print or agreed to something you didn’t understand fully.
Speeding up the process
Hiring a family lawyer is also the best way to speed up your divorce proceedings so that you can get the outcome you want and move on with your life. Nobody wants to dwell on the past, especially if its emotionally painful, so its good to wrap things up neatly and as quickly as possible with the help of a solicitor.
Your lawyer will also enable you to settle matters outside of the courtroom via negotiation with your ex-partner and this is preferable in the eyes of the law. This is because the family court system is already backlogged with cases waiting to be heard, so they prefer it when ex-spouses can settle their dispute quickly in a private setting rather than have a decision mandated by a judge.
Conclusion
As you can see, there’s plenty of important reasons why engaging a family lawyer is so essential when going through a divorce. They will keep tabs on your rights and obligations, advise you on the best course of action and advocate on your behalf at the negotiating table or in the courtroom.
If you need an experienced family lawyer, don’t hesitate to get in touch by calling (02) 4656 1834 or sending us an email!