Legal Topics

When is the Right Time for a Lawyer?

If you have been involved in an accident, been arrested, have charges against you or involved in a lawsuit where someone is being sued, it’s almost always a good time to have a lawyer around you to advise you in the process. Not all legal situations, however, require the presence of a lawyer because they could sometimes be figured out by the people involved. In such situations, it is good to know when a lawyer is needed and when you and the other parties involved can resolve the issues alone. For instance, if you are going through a divorce with your spouse and it is civil (there is no yelling or arguing), odds are custody (if a child is involved), and distribution of property and other factors could be solved within the parties to make it an easier situation. If it gets to the point where there is bickering and the two sides can’t compromise on who gets what, then a lawyer will most likely be brought in to help the two sides decide. The lawyer can serve as the ‘middle’ person or the messenger between parties in order to negotiate who will get what, if there are any custody arrangements and so forth. There are other civil suits that can be determined by cooler heads that would not require having a lawyer in the middle of the process such as an automobile accident in which both parties have decided who is at fault and what the next steps will be. Usually, if both parties are decided on who is at fault in an accident, an arrangement will be made to handle the damages and what not. However, if there is a dispute as to who is the cause of the accident, that’s when lawyers will be brought in to help determine the fault of the accident through evidence and witnesses. So, when is it the best time to decide on whether or not you need a lawyer? Well, it will always depend on the type of case you are situated in and how well the parties in the situation are cooperating with one another to reach a reasonable resolution. Most cases, however, will be helped with the advice and guidance of a lawyer because of their understanding of laws, violations and their familiarity with similar cases that could help lead to quick, reasonable resolutions between the parties involved.

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