DO I NEED A LAWYER?
If you need personal legal advice, you need a lawyer - Period.
Website information is a nice place to start, and it can give you ideas of how much (or how little) you need to hire an attorney. But legal rights, responsibilities, forms, and ideas can change not only from State to State, but from County to County, Court to Court, and week to week.
Penny wise and pound foolish.
Have you ever considered what that means? It actually means that one is so concerned about the small costs of something (pennies) that he ignores the larger costs (a Pound Stirling which was, worth 240 pennies). In other words, in order to save a modest consultation fee a person may execute a contract that will costs him thousands or tens of thousands of dollars to correct. If you are considering a large purchase or starting a business or getting your, or your parents', affairs in order, it is probably best to consult with an attorney.
Would you make a $250,000 investment without professional advice?
Or buy a business worth a quarter of a million dollars? Well, if you are buying and selling a $125,000 house, that is exactly what you are doing. It seems sensible to have the paperwork reviewed by an attorney before you sign. Lawsuits are expensive, time consuming, and unhappy things. Knowing what the difficulties can be up front can be a real money and grief saver.
What if you are in an accident?
Does anyone know what you want the doctors to do or not to do? Does anyone have the authority to speak on your behalf? Can the people important in your life get access to your medical information? If you have a next of kin by way of birth or marriage that is fine. But if you don't have a spouse or parents or sibling, your best friend, the one who has seen you through every crises, cannot do a thing to help you without going to the Probate Court for authority. All this is avoidable with the assistance of an attorney.
What happens if you need to leave your child with a relative for a week or two because you are ill or need to tend to a family emergency out of town?
Will the schools let the relative know if the child gets in trouble? Will the doctor treat the child? How would anyone know that the relative has the legal authority to care for the child in your absence? Or will they call Child Protective Services? Will you end up in Juvenile Court alleged to be an unfit parent? This is a simple problem to avoid. It is an expensive one to fix.
Where's my free lawyer?
Court Appointed attorneys are available in very few instances and those involve the State. If you cannot afford an attorney one will be provided to you, but usually after you have been charged with a crime or after Child Protective Services (CSB, DJFS, CPS) have filed an action in Juvenile Court. Do not make the mistake of thinking these are “free lawyers” who won't work for your best interest. Court appointed attorneys are paid to represent you. They are supervised if they work for a Public Defender's Office and they are overseen by the courts if they are appointed individually. No court is going to want to see you have an unqualified lawyer. If you have received an appointed lawyer, you are probably dealing with someone who has a good deal of experience with cases like yours.
If you need personal legal advice, you need a lawyer - Period.
Website information is a nice place to start, and it can give you ideas of how much (or how little) you need to hire an attorney. But legal rights, responsibilities, forms, and ideas can change not only from State to State, but from County to County, Court to Court, and week to week.
Penny wise and pound foolish.
Have you ever considered what that means? It actually means that one is so concerned about the small costs of something (pennies) that he ignores the larger costs (a Pound Stirling which was, worth 240 pennies). In other words, in order to save a modest consultation fee a person may execute a contract that will costs him thousands or tens of thousands of dollars to correct. If you are considering a large purchase or starting a business or getting your, or your parents', affairs in order, it is probably best to consult with an attorney.
Would you make a $250,000 investment without professional advice?
Or buy a business worth a quarter of a million dollars? Well, if you are buying and selling a $125,000 house, that is exactly what you are doing. It seems sensible to have the paperwork reviewed by an attorney before you sign. Lawsuits are expensive, time consuming, and unhappy things. Knowing what the difficulties can be up front can be a real money and grief saver.
What if you are in an accident?
Does anyone know what you want the doctors to do or not to do? Does anyone have the authority to speak on your behalf? Can the people important in your life get access to your medical information? If you have a next of kin by way of birth or marriage that is fine. But if you don't have a spouse or parents or sibling, your best friend, the one who has seen you through every crises, cannot do a thing to help you without going to the Probate Court for authority. All this is avoidable with the assistance of an attorney.
What happens if you need to leave your child with a relative for a week or two because you are ill or need to tend to a family emergency out of town?
Will the schools let the relative know if the child gets in trouble? Will the doctor treat the child? How would anyone know that the relative has the legal authority to care for the child in your absence? Or will they call Child Protective Services? Will you end up in Juvenile Court alleged to be an unfit parent? This is a simple problem to avoid. It is an expensive one to fix.
Where's my free lawyer?
Court Appointed attorneys are available in very few instances and those involve the State. If you cannot afford an attorney one will be provided to you, but usually after you have been charged with a crime or after Child Protective Services (CSB, DJFS, CPS) have filed an action in Juvenile Court. Do not make the mistake of thinking these are “free lawyers” who won't work for your best interest. Court appointed attorneys are paid to represent you. They are supervised if they work for a Public Defender's Office and they are overseen by the courts if they are appointed individually. No court is going to want to see you have an unqualified lawyer. If you have received an appointed lawyer, you are probably dealing with someone who has a good deal of experience with cases like yours.
“A lawyer's time and advice are his stock in trade.” ~ Abraham Lincoln.