Do I Really Need A Family Law Attorney?
Posted on October 17, 2019 in
If you are dealing with a family law issue, you might want to know “why should I hire a family law attorney? Do I need a lawyer, or can I handle this case myself?” A family law case can be so unfamiliar that is can be hard to tell when or if you need professional help.
Asking if you need a family law attorney is like asking if you need a doctor to help treat your injured leg. There is a huge range of injuries you could be facing. Whether you need professional help depends on the complexity and severity of your leg injury (or your family law case).
Simple Cases Might Not Require an Attorney – But an Attorney Can Still Help
Let’s say you’ve sprained your ankle. This is a simple injury. You can research online to find the basic treatment is R-I-C-E (rest, ice, compression, and elevation). If you follow this advice, without seeing a doctor, your ankle will still heal. But a doctor can add a significant benefit. They can give you specific advice and check on your progress to speed up and improve the healing process. A doctor can help you avoid issues like long-term weakness and the risk of re-injury.
A simple family law case is like a sprained ankle. If you are resourceful enough, you can probably muddle through it yourself. But be careful you aren’t tricking yourself into thinking a case is simple, just to avoid hiring an attorney. Always get your case evaluated by an attorney to determine whether it is simple or not. Even with a simple case, hiring an attorney can be beneficial, just like seeing a doctor for a sprained ankle can improve your recovery. The attorney can streamline the process for you and navigate the court system, so you don’t have to. An attorney checks that all issues are properly addressed and helps you avoid future complications.
More Complex Cases Should Never Be Handled Without an Attorney
If your injury is more severe – let’s say a broken leg — it is obvious you need a doctor’s help. Your leg will not heal correctly without medical attention. You risk pain, lasting damage, and infection if you do not see a doctor. A complex family law case is like a broken leg in that you need an attorney to provide the right remedy. Like doctors, attorneys are highly educated in their field and have years of hands-on experience. They know the best way to solve your problem. Trying to tackle a complex case yourself, without the proper knowledge and training, will lead to disaster. Fixing the problem later will cost a lot more money. Worse than that, many legal mistakes are irreparable; you will never be able to fix them. Trying to represent yourself without an attorney is not worth this risk.
There May Be Issues Only an Attorney Can Uncover
What if your injury isn’t entirely clear? If you start having unexplained leg pain, it could be something mild. It could also be something serious like a blood clot or bone cancer. Putting off seeing a doctor could have deadly consequences. The same is true with a family law case. Often with a legal issue, the potential problems may not be as obvious. You might not be aware of existing problems or even problems that could develop in the future. If you wait for trial and hope for the best, the consequences could be devastating. An experienced family law attorney can help you identify potential legal issues and handle them for you.
How Do You Know if Your Case is Simple?
The danger in self-diagnosing your family law case is that you are not familiar with family law. In contrast, for a leg injury, you are familiar with your own body. There are many indicators that help you tell how severe the injury is. Without a frame of reference for family law, you do not know if your case is simple or not. The best approach is to have your case evaluated by a family law attorney. This is exactly what you would do if you were not sure of the extent of your leg injury — you’d ask a doctor. It is well worth meeting with a lawyer to understand if you can represent yourself and what risks you face if you do.
To get clarity on whether you need a lawyer, schedule a Strategy Session at 678-435-9069 or contact us here.