Jacksonville Divorce Attorney Blog
It is no secret that going through a divorce is expensive. Although there is very little that you can do about certain costs of your divorce, such as what you may or may not lose during property division hearings, there is one area of expenses you can control. That is your legal fees and costs. All divorce attorneys in Jacksonville will charge something to legally represent you during the process, and the advice and counsel they bring to your case are invaluable. Still, there are some ways that you can keep the legal costs down, so you do not face unexpected charges in the future. Your Jacksonville divorce lawyer can explain to you in your initial consultation how to keep your legal costs down but here are some basic tips.
Call and Email Only When You Have To
Most divorce lawyers in Jacksonville will charge you for every time they devote to answering your phone calls and emails. However, you likely want them to spend this time preparing for your trial, mediation, or other aspects of your case. You will have many questions during the divorce process, and you deserve to have them answered. Instead of incurring fees every time you have a question, prepare a list of questions, and ask them all at once. Your Jacksonville divorce lawyer will still charge you, but you will likely incur fewer legal fees.
Provide Information Promptly
Your Jacksonville divorce lawyer will likely ask you for several different documents over the course of your divorce. Again, the more time they must spend on the phone trying to track you and the information down, the more it will cost you. Always provide the information your Jacksonville divorce lawyer asks for as soon as possible, and you will face fewer legal fees for it.
Trust Your Lawyer
It is important to choose a Jacksonville divorce lawyer you trust, as you will share with them the most private details of your life. There is another reason it is important to trust your lawyer. People that are unsatisfied with certain results often compare their divorce case with that of their friend’s, who obtained a different result. Your lawyer should always explain certain outcomes and aspects of your case, and you should trust in their advice as much as possible. Unless something seems unreasonably unfair, you should trust that your lawyer is working in your best interests, even when an outcome was not what you expected. Continuing to ask your lawyer about one specific issue will only drive up the costs of your divorce and hold up the process.
Never Provide Originals of Important Documents
Unless specifically asked, you should never provide the originals of certain documents. If you do, you may need those documents again in the future, and you will have to ask your attorney to send them. Even if you need your original tax records three years after your divorce is finalized, an attorney will likely charge you for researching and sending them.
If you are looking for a divorce attorney in Florida you can contact a Florida Family Attorney at the Law Office of David M. Goldman for a free initial consultation in most cases.