subject: Divorce Attorney Michigan: Why You Need a Lawyer to End Your Marriage [print this page] Divorce Attorney Michigan: Why You Need a Lawyer to End Your Marriage
There are many reasons why you need a divorce attorney Michigan. When two people make the decision to end their marriage and get a divorce, most times the process they enter into is an extremely emotionally charged one, especially if the couple has been together for a substantial amount of time and both people are truly vested into the marriage before the option of legal divorce was even considered.
Because of this, there are attorneys in the state of Michigan who specialize specifically in the legal realm of divorce, and who have legal experience in assisting their clients navigate the often intense divorce experience. A divorce attorney's main purpose is to assist his or her client in making sure that the client is not in any way taken advantage of or made to give up anything which he or she is rightfully entitled to through the use of any and all Michigan marriage and divorce laws.
Benefits a Divorce Attorney Provides
There is an ever-growing list to the number of benefits that come with obtaining an honest, experienced, and professional divorce attorney. The first, and possibly most important, is the fact that anyone who obtains a divorce attorney in the state of Michigan immediately has gained an advocate and ally in the divorce proceedings, and one who understands the legalities and options that are available through the divorce process. This lawyer can help to ensure that the client receives everything they are rightfully entitled to.
An added benefit is that a good divorce attorney can sit down with the other party's attorney or representative and the two could come to an out-of-court agreement without having to litigate the divorce, which is something both clients and courts appreciate.
When to Hire a Divorce Attorney
Basically, any time a married couple decides to enter the court system to legally dissolve the marriage, each party should be represented professionally. The only time a professional divorce attorney may not be needed is in the rare case that both parties have discussed and have come to an agreement on each and every condition regarding the divorce prior to ever entering the court room, right down to what party gets to keep the family pet. Because complete agreement on the part of a divorcing couple is rare, in almost every case an individual should hire an experienced divorce attorney the moment the divorce is filed for.
How Divorce Attorneys Charge
Because of the fact that the outcome of divorce is inevitable, and the only variable is how much property or asset recovery each spouse gets in the divorce, there aren't too many divorce lawyers who are successful in charging on an outcome-contingent basis and, in fact, contingency fees in divorce aren't generally allowed.
Most divorce attorneys in the state of Michigan charge an hourly rate, which may differ between in-office and in-court hourly rates (depending on the attorney), and almost all of them require the use of retainer fees, which are up-front deposits made by the client to obtain the attorney's services.