Free Advice from a Divorce Lawyer

From LoveToKnow Divorce

If you are trying to get free advice from a divorce lawyer, you may not be very successful. Lawyers bill out their time at an hourly rate, and it simply doesn't make good business sense for them to give away this expertise at no charge.

Look for legal information online.

Getting Free Advice from a Divorce Lawyer

One way that you can go about getting free advice from a divorce lawyer is to make an appointment for an initial consultation. This would be a relatively short appointment so that you can meet the lawyer and share some basic information about your case. If you are very well organized and can explain your situation in a concise way, you may be able to get some advice about the best way to proceed. The lawyer is not going to be able to spend a lot of time with you unless you decide to retain him or her to represent you.

If you need to get legal advice, but you can't afford an attorney, you do have some options available to you. Please consider the following:

  • Look for information online

Many law firms have blogs, and the posts contain valuable information. Best of all, you can access it from anywhere that has an Internet connection. You can conduct an online search on the topic or topics that you would like to get information about. You may need to read a number of different blog posts before you find exactly what you are looking for, but the bit of detective work involved will be worth it.

Even if you are working with an attorney, the more you can educate yourself about the divorce process, the better you will be able to participate in it. You can ask your lawyer to explain things to you, but every time you do so, you will be paying a fee for the privilege. If you can gather some information on your own, you will cut down on the amount of time you will need to consult with your attorney.

  • Legal Aid

Low-income people can get advice about divorce and other legal matters through the Legal Aid system. The goal of this program is to ensure that citizens have access to competent legal advice, no matter what their income level is. If you decide to investigate this possibility for getting affordable legal advice, you will be in good company. Approximately 40 percent of the 1 million cases that are handled by Legal Aid attorneys each year have to do with family law issues.

  • Legal Clinics

If you live in an area near a law school, you may be able to get no-cost legal advice from a legal clinic. The purpose of the clinic is to provide law students with some hands-on experience dealing with clients. All work done by the students is supervised by a licensed attorney.

To find out about legal clinics in your area, contact the local university to see whether this service is offered. The state Bar Association may also be able to tell you which communities are serviced by a legal clinic.

When you want to get legal advice but don't have a lot of money at your disposal, you still have some options available to you. You can do some homework on your own by reading legal blogs and then ask your lawyer to clarify any points that aren't clear to you. You may want to investigate whether you qualify for Legal Aid or find out about a legal clinic operating in your area.



 


Comments

Joe,

The way that your marital property is divided will depend on whether you live in a community property state or one that uses equitable division. If your wife can support herself, it's unlikely that you would have to pay alimony. I would suggest that you consult with an attorney to get advice for your personal situation.

Jodee Redmond LoveToKnow Editor

-- Contributed by: JCRedmond

I have been married for 35 years. My life has been hell. My wife has a long history of cheating, even left my daughter and I at one time for little over a year. We share a house as roommates. I have met someone and want a divorce. Will I have to give her a home I paid for and pay her alimony. Help me in MS.

-- Contributed by: Joe

Wendy,

You are legally divorced, and you can't overturn that decision. You can remarry each other, if you choose to, though.

Jodee Redmond LoveToKnow Editor

-- Contributed by: JCRedmond
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