Perceptions of a Divorce Attorney

Stereotypical Image of a Divorce Attorney

Divorce attorneys often deal with negativity and a lot of it comes from our own clients. In a divorce emotions run high. There are people’s livelihoods at stake, there are people’s futures hanging in the balance, their kids’ future is at stake. This is a tough spot for an attorney to be in because we are qualified and trained in the areas of Indiana family law, the rules of trial procedure, the rules of evidence, and how to conduct ourselves in the courtroom. We are not marriage counselors or family therapists. It is vitally important that you listen to your attorney and let them help you. If you need help with emotional issues then you should meet with a counselor or therapist.

I understand that people come to me because they’re at a low point in they’re lives and they have a hot mess on their hands that they need fixed. Please be advised that as attorneys we make our living by the time we devote to our clients. Therefore, keep in mind that every time you call or email your attorney he or she is most likely billing you for their time to listen, read and respond to you. Don’t let this “stereotypical image” of a divorce attorney rub you the wrong way.

Reality is Often Very Different From a Client’s Perception

Another difficult task that divorce attorneys encounter is trying to ground the client in the reality of the situation. As a client (especially as a mother or father) you undoubtedly have an idea of how a divorce or a custody and parenting time arrangement may look like. Unfortunately, your idea may be inconsistent with Indiana law or a judge’s decision. Unfortunately, when emotions are running high, if people don’t get what they expect, well, then it’s their attorney’s fault. Their attorney is a shmuck and didn’t do a very good job.

This is an unfortunate aspect of divorce–there’s no cookie cutter approach to solving all of your problems nor will you get everything you ask for. Every divorce case is different based upon the many unique facts and circumstances associated with it.

Get a Divorce for only $500

There are attorneys who do this. It’s a terrible idea because just like anything in life you get what you pay for. If you go and pay $10 for a haircut, well, you’re going to get a $10 haircut. This does clients a disservice. It is virtually impossible to initiate and finalize a divorce matter with all the hours that an attorney has to put in regarding drafting the pleadings, completing discovery, conducting various hearings, going to mediation, etc. It’s too bad because I have had clients that have been stuck with those low-ball attorneys. Very little gets done, the client is left holding the bag, they’ve spent $500, they got nowhere and they have to start again with a new attorney.