Second Opinion Divorce Consultations
If you received a serious medical diagnosis and a recommendation for surgery, you’d likely seek a second opinion. You’d want it because a misdiagnosis with your health can have significant consequences. If your mechanic recommends expensive car repairs, you’d likely want to to verify the recommendation with another mechanic. To ensure your long term financial well being, you may want a second opinion from an independent financial adviser to make sure your portfolio is structured to meet your goals. So why is it that clients are reluctant to get a second advisory opinion when receiving recommendations about divorce, property division, parenting time, child support and child custody, or supporting an ex spouse?
Most people other than lawyers are not familiar with the nuances of the legal system, the specific judges you may appear in front of, and the complexity of legal strategy. When working with unfamiliar matters and issues, it makes sense to have all of the information you can to make informed decisions about your case.
Divorce and family law is complex. It makes sense to get a second opinion if:
- If your doesn’t seem familiar with the law or the complexity of your case.
- There appears to be no overall plan for the case, the case is not moving forward, and there’s no end in sight.
- You are not being well prepped for hearings or trials.
- Your lawyer is not seeking or receiving thorough discovery of financial documents.
- You can’t get meaningful answers or clear strategies from your attorneys about the case.
- Your relationship with your lawyer is strained, and you want confirmation that you are getting good advice and your case is being properly handled.
The cost of a second opinion of an experienced Portland divorce attorney is relatively inexpensive compared to the cost of your case, and much lest costly than an unnecessary bad result. You may pay for an hour or two of the family lawyer’s time, and get valuable advice and reassurance about your case, or to help you decide if another family law attorney is better suited to the task.
By Sean Stephens
Other Popular Articles and links from the Oregon Divorce Blog
- Top 10 questions to ask a divorce lawyer in the first consultation.
- At what age can a child decide custody/parenting time?
- Contempt Of Court for Parenting Time Violations
