Part 3 of 5 questions you should ask a Utah divorce attorney

This is the third part on our series of questions you want to ask your Salt Lake City divorce attorney during the initial meeting or consultation.  Part I and Part II are available online, and we are going to complete the series in the upcoming weeks.  It is our hopes that by reading these 5 articles you will find peace of mind when speaking with a legal professional.

Question 3: How does your retainer and payment system work?

With most family law cases, a law firm with require some sort of retainer and agreement to initiate representation.  The terms of which are standard but may change slightly depending on the circumstances of your case and the policies of the firm or attorney.  While the initial retainer amount is important to understand, it is also important to plan for the future.  More precisely, what will happen should you case retainer be spent, and you owe more money.  Getting on the same page with your attorney about financial matters will help you prepare yourself for any potential upcoming expenses.

Although your attorney may be able to give you a general sense of expectations, it is not possible to see the future and your case timeframe and obstacles may change.  Many people are surprised to learn that having representation can be more expensive than they think. Envision it: you have hired a lawyer, paid your retainer fees, and begin feeling confident now that your legal rights are being addressed.  As your case progresses you will get an understanding of how much time and effort goes into a divorce case.  This, unfortunately, means that your retainer has been exhausted and you will need to fund your case further.

Should this happen, it is important to know how your firm handles these types of situations.  Is the firm willing to make payment plans, can you pay by credit card, or at what point will the case become delinquent and what happens at that point?  Getting on the same page with your attorney from the beginning will help you anticipate what could happen in the future.  Knowing what can happen will hopefully alleviate stress from financial strain.  Understanding how a prospective divorce attorney handles payment is another factor that will ultimately weigh in on your decision as to who you want representing you.  If you are considering a divorce in Utah we ask that you consider calling Burton Family Attorneys to learn more about our services and schedule a consultation at  (801) 393-1106.