As an experienced New Jersey Divorce Lawyer, I am often asked by clients about moving forward with their divorce. When someone tells me that they’re ready to move forward with the divorce, I talk to them about a retainer. You start the process with a lawyer by paying a certain amount of money upfront. Then what happens is every month we send a bill out, and you can see what money was used, and how much money is left.
What your lawyer needs to do is put an action plan. The lawyer will say to you upfront how much he is going to take and why he is worth that much. It doesn’t always follow the action plan we install because the more they fight the more I make. Yes, it’s a terrible place to be. Without a level of integrity, you can take a lot of money from people if you don’t have the right intent.
You as the client have to be careful and ask for an action plan. Ask the lawyer, give me some idea and then when the lawyer says, I have no idea at all. That is not good. If the lawyer says, it’s going to cost you $34, that’s another problem. Study up on how much you think might cost and talk with your lawyer to build a smooth plan moving forward.
Let the lawyer say to you, here’s what my experience tells me for a Pendente Lite application with two children and income and assets as you have. It should be about X dollars, if not more. More fight means more money for the Plaintiff’s lawyer and defendant’s lawyer. That’s the only straight forward way to look at it. You want to maximize how much money you can save by not trying to fight as much.
Have you found it difficult to move forward with your divorce? Contact our experienced New Jersey Divorce Lawyer for advice.
This educational blog was brought to you by Christopher Leon Garibian, an experienced New Jersey Divorce Lawyer.