A divorce lawyer practices civil law within the parameters of family courts. This area can be flooded with life-shaping decisions and emotions. As such, a divorce lawyer should carefully and delicately handle a host of complex family law matters from divorce, matrimonial, marriage and other civil matters. There are two types of lawyers practicing in the state of Missouri. One is a generalist who deals in all aspects of family law matters and may work independently or in an attorney’s office. The other type of lawyer is a divorce and marriage lawyer who focuses his or her practice on a specialized area of the law such as divorce involving children, family law, or family matters such as adoption, spousal abuse, or juvenile delinquency.
It is the job of the St. Louis divorce lawyer to mediate the marriage and relationship between the divorcing spouses. If both parties are interested in settling their differences outside the courtroom, the divorce lawyer can assist them with this goal. This type of mediation often leads to an uncontested divorce. In an uncontested divorce, both parties submit their papers to the court and the judge then enters a final judgment and terminates the marriage.
A divorce lawyer will offer legal advice to his or her client when both parties are agreeable and have determined that the settlement of their differences would best interests. When this occurs, the divorce lawyer will take on the case pro Bono. This means that the divorce lawyer will not charge any legal fees until he or she wins the case for the client. A good divorce lawyer will always put the interest of his or her client first. He or she will also put aside personal feelings in favor of what is best for the client’s best interests.
Once the divorce lawyer wins a case, the client will be able to retain the services of the same lawyer. The two lawyers will discuss the various legal issues that were brought up at the pre-trial hearing. If possible, both lawyers will meet with their client before the actual trial to discuss child custody and other legal issues. At the trial, the two lawyers will again discuss the legal issues and possible settlements.
In some instances, it may be wise to hire an uncontested divorce mediator. An uncontested divorce mediator is a neutral third party who can assist the divorcing couple in negotiating proper settlement terms. There are several benefits to hiring an uncontested divorce mediator; one is that you won’t have to go through the lengthy litigation process that you would have if you tried to negotiate terms yourself. Another benefit is that the mediator can assist you in making a decision about custody and visitation, and the division of assets and other financial matters.
Regardless of the type of divorce lawyers you decide to work with, it is important to hire one that has experience and expertise in your specific area of law. Choosing the wrong divorce lawyer could result in ineffective representation and might cost you a lot of money. Make sure that you understand the various types of divorce cases, and what each type of lawyer should be good at. If you take the time to do this research, you will be able to choose the best divorce lawyer for your needs.