Orange County Divorce Lawyers – 10 Steps To Hiring

You need to find a lawyer to handle your divorce.  Most people don’t have a clue where to look.  You might ask a friend or family member who they used.  Or you could open the yellow pages and find a friendly face.  You might want the ruthless looking one.  It all depends on how much you like, or dislike your spouse (i mean future ex-spouse).  One thing is certain though, you should never pick a divorce lawyer when you are in an emotional fit of rage.  Doing a little bit of research will benefit you greatly in the end.

Here are 10 easy steps to find and hire a lawyer who meets your legal needs.

1.    Figure out what county that you will need to file a divorce case.  If you live in Orange County, California you will be filing all your paperwork at the Lamoreaux Justice Center in Orange.   You will most likely want to find Orange County divorce lawyers because they are the local attorneys most familiar with the Court, court system, and Judges at the Orange County Courthouse.

2.    Ask your friends and family if they know a good divorce lawyer.  A referral is usually a trust worthy method of beginning your search for a good lawyer.

3.    Find a divorce lawyer through the internet.  Many lawyers will have a website or by doing a general search you can come up with names of attorneys who practice family law and/or specialize in divorces.

4.    Do some research on an attorney.  Today, the internet is an easy tool to research Orange County divorce lawyers.  Every lawyer may not have a website, but you can look up the history and status of any attorney through the State Bar of California.  The State Bar has a website where you can look up any attorney practicing in California.  The site will bring up his or her license date and license number, where he or she went to law school and disciplinary actions taken against them, if any.

5.    Make an appointment for a consultation.  Most Orange County divorce lawyers give free initial consultations.  There is no charge to call an attorney and ask some questions.  Many attorneys will give a consult on the phone.  Although many will not give legal advise on the phone because of liability issues.

6.    Show up for the initial consultation with paperwork such as any and all Court documents that were served upon you.  Especially, be sure to bring any notices to appear by the Court.  Put together a list of community assets and debts, a recent paycheck stub, any police reports or photo documentation.  Anything that you would want your attorney to include in your file as evidence and anything that helps the attorney understand your case.

7.    The attorney will need you to sign a retainer agreement and pay an initial retainer fee.  Discuss with your attorney the financial costs of the case and how long the attorney estimates the case will take.

8.    If you are comfortable with the initial interview with the attorney, take all the steps to retain your attorney as soon as you can.  As soon as the retainer agreement is signed and the retainer fee paid, the attorney can start work on your case.

9.    Keep an open communication with your attorney.  Call the attorney for status of your case and calendar the Court appearances that you are required to attend.  Prepare with your attorney for any Court hearings and/or trials.
Always call your attorney for advice.  Do not try to settle a case without your attorney.  Do not sign any documents without first consulting your attorney.

10.    Your attorney is there to help you through the divorce.  Orange County divorce lawyers are known to be quite ruthless, but rest assured your lawyer is there to represent you to the best of their ability.  So, let them do their jobs.