When to Hire a Lawyer

Not every legal mater requires you to seek legal representation, like fighting a speeding ticket or small claims court, but some do. You may not even realize that a personal problem that you’re facing is a legal one, especially if you have had no experience with law. The first decision to be made in a legal matter is often whether to hire an attorney to represent you.

Common personal issues that cause us to consider hiring a legal professional include divorce, child custody disputes, traffic violations, DUI or DWI arrests, being served a lawsuit from a collector or someone whose vehicle we hit.

Every legal situation is different. Sometimes you don’t need to hire a lawyer, but sometimes you do. Below are the

Top Ten Reasons to Hire a Lawyer

according to Find Law.

1. The law is complicated. If you are not a lawyer you probably have no business acting like one in certain instances.
2. Not having a lawyer may actually cost you more.
3. Lawyers know how to challenge (and sometimes suppress) evidence.
4. Attorneys understand how to properly file court documents and handle other legal procedures.
5. Because you don’t know any expert witnesses or private detectives.
6. You’re not sure how to plead — or what a ‘pleading’ is?
7. Because it is probably better to avoid problems in the first place rather than try to fix them once they arise.
8. A good lawyer can strike up a good settlement offer or plea bargain, if necessary.
9. The other party has legal representation.
10. Lawyers often provide a free initial consultation.

Past or present legal issue can inspire one to not only hire a lawyer, but to study law. For me, my four-year-long divorce and custody battle had that effect. Many of our past paralegal students at Community Care College have been drawn to the study law because of past personal legal issues, as well.

There is really no end to the law’s presence in our lives. Let’s embrace it.