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The importance of legal advice early in the divorce process

First impressions are everything. The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. These age-old sayings are important to our discussion today here on the blog for the Law Office of Bryan Fagan. When it comes to filing for divorce you want to start the process off on a good note. It is hard to overcome a tough start. Imagine a football team that falls behind by a couple of touchdowns early in a game. Odds are they are going to have to work that much harder not only to stay in the game but to ultimately win. 

A divorce is not measured by wins and losses like a football team. However, just as a football team has a goal of winning you, too, should have goals. By having goals for your divorce case you are better able to withstand the stresses and anxieties which come with a divorce. Finding your “why” is another way to determine the goals for your case. What drives you to maintain your energy and focus in the divorce? That is your “why.”

Today’s blog post from the Law Office of Bryan Fagan relates to making good decisions early in your divorce. Specifically, the importance of good legal advice early in the divorce process. Our experienced family law attorneys are going to work with you to share valuable information on why legal advice is critical at the initial junctures of your divorce. 

Divorces are emotional 

A divorce case is not formulaic. You are not able to look up a recipe for a divorce like you would a recipe for a cake. There is no set way to obtain a divorce in Texas. Yes, there are legal steps to follow, documents to file, etc. However, outside of those legal requirements, there are vast amounts of specific information to your case that needs to be analyzed. Making good decisions regarding that information is crucial to your overall success. 

As you are attempting to wade through all this information it is normal to feel overwhelmed. This is a common emotion associated with a divorce case. As we begin to discuss divorce in Texas, it is ok to feel like you don’t have all the answers. Divorces are legally complex. They are also emotionally challenging. Being able to navigate the waters of a divorce means having a steady hand.

Not being sure of yourself in a divorce is normal, as well. After all, most of you reading this blog post, have never gone through a divorce previously. With anything new, there comes uncertainty and anxiety. In a divorce, however, those nerves and emotions can cause mistakes. Mistakes mean wasted time and wasted money. With both of those resources in limited supply, you cannot afford many mistakes in your case. This is where an attorney can help tremendously. 

Experienced attorneys can provide you with legal advice geared towards helping you achieve your goals. It may be difficult to see your goals early on in a divorce. However, the steps taken at the beginning of a divorce are just as crucial in helping you achieve those goals as at any other point in your case. Therefore, maximizing every opportunity available to you is crucial. The better prepared you are to maintain a strong focus on your goals, the better off you will be. 

One of the first things that an attorney with the Law Office of Bryan Fagan will do with a client is to have a “magic wand” meeting. The purpose of a magic wand meeting is to help you, the client, better understand goal setting in a divorce. Our attorneys know that a client who has developed a strong identity within the case is better able to handle the ups and downs of the process. By developing a “why” you are better equipped to handle the emotional stresses of a case. 

The attorneys with the Law Office of Bryan Fagan help our clients determine what matters most to them in their divorce. From there, we walk with you as we determine the best course of action available to accomplish that goal. From the very beginning of your case, your attorney helps you to focus on the big picture. An attitude geared towards helping families develop goals is what motivates our attorneys each day. 

Developing a plan to accomplish your goals

Having goals is a good thing in a divorce. Some people enter into a divorce without clearly defined goals. A common goal that some folks have is to make it out in one piece. While I suppose that this is technically a goal, it doesn’t do anything to further any specific area of your life. Rather, it is more or less a plea for mercy to your spouse and the courts. Imagine a sports team asking their opponent to try not to beat them too badly in a match. Not exactly what you would want to hear as a fan of that team. 

So why would you start your divorce off in much the same way? The initial stages of a divorce offer you an opportunity to seize the moment and momentum of a case. Use the energy that you had in filing the case to also come up with a plan of action for your goals. It is relatively easy for you to lay out a goal of winning the primary conservatorship of your children. It is another matter altogether to have a plan in place to try and accomplish that goal. Even more challenging is trying to accomplish that goal with your spouse competing alongside you.

If developing a plan to achieve important goals like this seems daunting, then fear not. The attorneys with the Law Office of Bryan Fagan have what it takes to help. We listen to you when you discuss your goals. Our attorneys work with clients just like you- facing a divorce at a critical juncture in their lives. Contact us today to learn more about how we can best serve you and your family. 

The combination of relevant factors in a divorce is staggering

There are not many legal cases that combine the sheer number of relevant issues as a divorce does. Let’s consider the emotional, legal, and financial implications of divorce. We have already seen how a divorce is emotionally draining. Not only are you attempting to end a marriage, but you are necessarily impacting other areas of your family life. Doing so impacts the lives of your children. No parent likes the idea of doing something that may negatively impact their children. For these reasons and more your divorce takes an emotional toll. 

Any legal matter has its various complexities to discuss. As you continue to build towards a resolution of your divorce the complexities of the divorce will only intensify. Understanding the legal complexities of a divorce means learning early on what issues matter most to you. Are you basing your divorce on a particular fault ground? Do you need complex temporary orders regarding child custody? These are just a few legal elements that may demand your attention. 

Finally, there are financial factors to consider, as well. Consider that filing for divorce is not free. After that, time away from work, mediation, and representation costs all become relevant. That hasn’t even begun to get into the long-term financial consequences of divorce. 

Considering the costs of hiring an attorney for a divorce

While we are discussing financial considerations in divorce it is worthwhile to mention the costs associated with hiring an attorney. Family law attorneys bill by the hour. That means that, generally speaking, the more hours spent working on your case the more expensive your case becomes. Additionally, family law attorneys also require an up-front payment known as a retainer to secure their services. 

All of these costs need to be considered by you and your family as you begin a divorce. However, just because an attorney costs money to hire does not mean that it is not in your best interests to do so. On the contrary, you can look at the hiring of an experienced family law attorney as a short-term investment into your long-term future. The attorneys at the Law Office of Bryan Fagan understand the importance of a good start in a divorce. We will work with your family to create a plan that maximizes the investment you make into our office. 

Above all else, when you are meeting with attorneys make sure to ask them specific questions about how they bill. This way you can avoid unpleasant surprises that may arise during the case itself. To be unclear is to be unkind. That is how the Law Office of Bryan Fagan handles matters related to billing our clients. We are transparent with our clients about their billing situations. 

Divorce is not a knockdown, drag-out fight (usually)

One of the great misnomers about divorce is that it always involves disruptive fighting and acrimony between spouses. True enough, this is certainly a possibility for you and your spouse. However, in the vast majority of divorce cases, this is not the case. Rather, spouses can work together to negotiate through their differences. For various reasons, the belief that divorces always end up in a courtroom prevails. This is not accurate when considering divorce cases on the whole, however. 

Rather, divorce cases lend themselves to negotiations. During a divorce, there is ample opportunity to negotiate through the issues in your case. As you begin to consider these topics in greater detail your spouse will become more willing to work alongside you. In most cases, spouses realize that they are better equipped to figure out solutions to their family problems than a judge. This is especially true when it comes to matters related to children. 

The advice you receive at the beginning of a divorce determines your mindset for the entire case. If you are led to believe that the only way out of your divorce is through a courtroom then you are likely to believe that. Or, if you are correctly informed of the importance of negotiation during a divorce that also will become your mindset. Choosing the correct attorney for your case goes a long way to helping you receive the right information for your case. 

Getting yourself into mediation as quickly as possible

Part of this process involves attending mediation at least once in your divorce. What is mediation, you may be asking? Mediation is a process whereby you and your spouse mutually agree to name an independent third party to help settle your case. In most situations, the mediator is a practicing family law attorney or former family court judge. This way the mediator has a great deal of experience in divorce cases. 

Why do you need advice to attend mediation? After all most family courts require that you attend mediation both at the beginning of a case and at the end. However, just because you must attend mediation does not mean that the advice from an attorney does not matter. First of all, your attorney helps you prepare for mediation. Preparing inadequately or ineffectively for mediation means that you do not take advantage of the opportunity to settle your case. 

Additionally, the attitude of your attorney is contagious in mediation. Some attorneys will push clients to do things in mediation that are not in their best interests. The first option would be to accept settlement offers that are not strong enough for their client. This is done out of fear of having to attend a temporary order hearing or trial. Secondly, an inexperienced attorney may push for outcomes that are not feasible in a divorce. Doing so rubs your spouse the wrong way and lays a poor foundation for future negotiations. 

Understanding the long-term impact of temporary orders

Even though they are called temporary orders they tend to have far-reaching effects in a divorce. To the extent that you negotiate for temporary orders, you need to understand that the final orders of your case tend to look a lot like temporary orders. Therefore, do not assume that your temporary orders are just a speed bump if they do not turn out the way that you want. It is more accurate to review temporary orders as a preview of your divorce case moving forward. What you see in temporary orders is what you tend to get in final orders. 

When discussing temporary orders with a prospective attorney listen to the way he talks about this subject. Is he dismissive of temporary orders? Or, does the attorney properly note the importance of temporary orders in your case? This should be a major determining factor in determining what attorney you hire. An attorney should help you focus on all areas of your case. Temporary orders are a lengthy and important phase worth your attention. 

Talking with an attorney about temporary orders means ensuring the well-being of your children. If you know that one of your children has a special need then that needs to be attended to. It may mean that an increased level of child support needs to be considered. Or, your child may have medical bills that need payment during a divorce. Whatever it is the well-being of your child is at stake. 

Thank you for joining us today on the blog for the Law Office of Bryan Fagan. Our licensed family law attorneys are glad to be able to share this information with you. We post unique and informative blog posts each day of the week to help our community increase their awareness of these crucial family law topics. If you want to learn more about Texas family law, our blog should be one of the first places you come to. 

There is no better time to start receiving good legal advice than at the beginning of a divorce. This way you do not waste time or money making avoidable mistakes. The more mistakes you make in a divorce the less likely it is that you can accomplish your goals. Setting a strategy to accomplish your goals along with well-defined goals is a recipe for success in your divorce. 

Interested in learning more about the Law Office of Bryan Fagan? Our experienced family law attorneys offer free consultations six days a week. We have office locations in all the major metropolitan areas of Texas. This means that we can meet you on your terms, in person whenever you have questions for us. From there, learning more about the importance of good legal advice can mean the difference between a positive and negative outcome. 

Questions about the material contained in today’s blog post? Contact the Law Office of Bryan Fagan

The attorneys with the Law Office of Bryan Fagan offer free of charge consultations six days a week in person, over the phone, and via video. These consultations are a great way for you to learn more about the world of Texas family law. Before signing a document or negotiating on a subject you do not know well, contact our office. We look forward to the opportunity of serving you during an important part of your life. The Law Office of Bryan Fagan is on your side. 

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At the Law Office of Bryan Fagan, PLLC, the firm wants to get to know your case before they commit to work with you. They offer all potential clients a no-obligation, free consultation where you can discuss your case under the client-attorney privilege. This means that everything you say will be kept private and the firm will respectfully advise you at no charge. You can learn more about Texas divorce law and get a good idea of how you want to proceed with your case.

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