Are you looking to be compensated for the harm you’ve undergone from your significant other?
If so, then it’s important to find the right domestic violence attorney to represent you in court. The attorney that you hire can make or break your entire case, so you need a way to filter out options until you find the correct fit.
Luckily, there are several questions you can ask prospective attorneys to gauge which one you would prefer to work with.
Here are several important questions to ask as you’re interviewing domestic violence attorneys. Be sure to ask each prospect the same questions in order to judge them side by side.
1. How Much Experience Do You Have?
Domestic violence cases are unlike any other category in the legal system. Because of that, you want to make sure the lawyer that you’re hiring has the experience and know-how to represent such heavy accusations.
You’ll notice that those with proper experience will have a calmer demeanor about them. Since they’ve been working domestic violence cases, there’s nothing they haven’t seen or heard before. Better yet, they have a rebuttal for each situation.
They’ve seen each type of domestic violence and know how to compile evidence for each one.
While you might be tempted to give the “young gun” a shot in most situations, your domestic violence case isn’t a place to test them out.
Hiring an attorney that has years of experience in dealing with and representing domestic violence cases is imperative for your situation.
2. What Do Your Fees Look Like?
Obviously, you wouldn’t be interviewing lawyers for a domestic violence case if you weren’t prepared to pay them for their services.
However, you’ll quickly notice that some attorneys’ asking prices are too high for your budget.
It’s important for both sides to be transparent with each other throughout the process, so don’t be afraid to ask what their costs are upfront.
Some charge an hourly rate for their services while others have a flat rate. Some wish to have the money paid upfront, others have payment plan options. It’s good to get a sense of what that looks like for each attorney you’re interviewing.
Also, be sure to ask what their court fees look like. While the court fees might vary on a case-by-case basis, the firm can generally give you a ballpark figure.
Be sure to ask if the prices they’re quoting you are set in stone or figurative. Either way is fine, it’s just helpful to have an idea of what you’d be paying with each.
3. What Advantages Can You Give My Case?
Some attorneys will say just about anything to stress the urgency of hiring them over the other guys.
However, the ones with integrity will be honest and upfront about what services they can grant you.
Every attorney brings something different to the table, so be sure to ask what advantages they think they can bring to your domestic violence case.
Maybe it’s their extensive network, or perhaps it’s their law firm’s endless amount of resources for compiling evidence. They might even have a high success rate for domestic violence cases.
Whatever advantages they list should be reinforced with some kind of proof. A simple story will suffice as a helpful example.
If you feel that an attorney is making claims that are too good to be true, then they probably are. No lawyer goes through their career unscathed. They win some and they lose some, but what’s important is finding an attorney that’s honest about that.
4. What Does Your Firm’s Process Look Like?
Not all law firm processes are created equal. Some require their attorneys to be honed-in on their respective clients while others rotate their clientele among their different lawyers.
Neither way is necessarily right or wrong, it just depends on how you would prefer to be represented.
For example, many firms will have attorneys meet in-person with their clientele, but leave the paperwork to certain administrative assistants or interns at their firm. If you’re uncomfortable with that, then be sure to make that known from the beginning.
Get a firm understanding of what their practice looks like. If you prefer to only discuss your case with one person (as most domestic violence victims do) then find an attorney that will meet that need for you.
5. What Do You Envision the Outcome of My Case Looking Like?
Assuming you’re working with experienced domestic violence attorneys, the prospective lawyers will have an idea of how your case will play out before it gets started.
It’s important to not spill your entire story until you’ve hired an attorney. However, if you give them a peek behind the curtain, then they can fill you in on what the outcome might look like.
They’ll let you know the probability that they see of a protective order and how they would recommend approaching it.
More importantly, they can give you a few examples of potential hiccups in your case and how they plan to protect you from them.
Find the Right Domestic Violence Attorney for Your Case
Now that you’ve seen the different questions to ask a domestic violence attorney, it’s time for you to filter out your options.
Be sure to read this article on the role that social distancing plays in domestic violence cases. There you’ll find more info on what is considered domestic violence.
For more inquiries, please be sure to reach out via our contact us page and we’ll be happy to assist you further.