When you think of a divorce lawyer, you think about someone who has your best interests at heart and will try their best to win your case. Indeed, there are many ethical lawyers like this who are dedicated to their client’s success. However, there are many attorneys who give a bad name to the profession because of their dirty tricks and tactics.
Since most people who hire an attorney have barely any knowledge about the law, some attorneys like to take advantage of the situation. In the greed of monetary gain, they use various tactics that drag out the case and increase the attorney fees. It is important that you are aware of such tricks so you can avoid them.
Tricks used by shady divorce attorneys
-
Impelling you to take your case to court.
Litigated divorces are the most complex, time-consuming, and expensive divorces there are. Therefore, genuine attorneys try their best to settle their client’s case out of court. They try various methods like mediation, collaborative divorce, and arbitration and only take the case to trial if no other option works out.
Moreover, most couples negotiate out of court and are able to reach a settlement. However, money-greedy attorneys do not prefer that. They will push you in the direction of litigation so that they can earn more money from you. They do this even when they realize it is not in their client’s best interests.
-
Shady billing.
If your attorney is not sparing details of the bills that they send to you, it is time you look deeply into the situation. Hiring an attorney costs a lot of money, and you should not simply give it to them without being clear about what they are for. Your attorney should be absolutely transparent about their services to you and the billing. You must ask them to write you an invoice when asking for a bill to know what you are paying for.
-
Promising a quick divorce.
Shady attorneys know their divorce clients want to get done with the process as soon as possible. Therefore, they tell them what they want to hear. They promise them a quick and easy divorce, even though that might not be in their best interests. Recklessness in legal matters is never good, especially in divorce cases.
Divorces cases comprise various important matters that need to be discussed and managed. An attorney trying to “quickly” get over the process is not trying their best to bring an outcome that is beneficial for you.
-
Encouraging unlawful and unethical behavior.
Good attorneys will never encourage you to do something that could potentially ruin your credibility with the law. For example, if your attorney says it is okay to hide your assets to gain a favorable legal outcome, it is a major red flag. Your attorney should be able to win your case without using illegal methods.
