What can I do on my part to help my Texas divorce process go easier?

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Houston Family Law Attorneys: The customer is always right. We all grew up going to stores, restaurants and other businesses where above the door or by the cash register a sign hung that read that very saying. In a competitive marketplace, where the public's dollar is highly sought after, making an effort to let your customer or client know that they're number one is important.

The Law Office of Bryan Fagan, PLLC believes in the importance of providing great customer service. We place our client's interests before our own and strive to go above and beyond in the field of customer service.

If you're reading through the blogs on the website for the Law Office of Bryan Fagan, it's safe to assume that at the very least you are considering beginning a family law case of your own or considering our office for employment in response to a case filed against you. The circumstances notwithstanding hiring a lawyer is a huge decision.

Not only are you paying money for their services, but you're also placing your trust and the wellbeing of your family into their care. You probably have many questions such as:

What happens when you pay your retainer fee and then don't hear back from your attorney for some time?
Should you be worried?
What then can a client do to help make their divorce case run smoothly?
There are a few highlights from my experiences as a practicing attorney that I would like to share with the blog reading public at large and a couple pieces of advice I can provide that come to mind immediately.

Your case is Important to Us

Divorce Houston: To begin, I will tell any client I'm working with that I fully understand that unless they hear my voice on a somewhat regular basis it is assumed that their case file is buried beneath a mountain of paperwork on my desk.

This is most certainly not the case, but, if I were a client who was new to a firm, I would seek to establish some ground rules with my attorney right off the bat? How often will I hear from my lawyer? What are the first few weeks of my case going to look like? What is the plan of action as it pertains to my case? These are all relevant questions to raise in your initial phone call or two with your lawyer.

How do you want to be communicated with?

Point number two: figure out with your attorney how you want to be communicated with? Is it by:

Phone
e-mail or
text or
mail?
we do not suffer from lack of options to get a hold of someone in our day and age. Sometimes it's as simple as figuring out the best method to convey information to one another that can really get the attorney-client relationship off on the right foot.

From an attorney's perspective, putting the ball in the client's court- having he or she determine the rules of engagement- takes the guesswork out of how to deliver an important message.

It’s Your Case

Family Lawyers Houston: As an attorney, I always tell my client that this is their case- not mine. I may be the one working with the opposing attorney or party and setting up courtroom hearings and mediations, but at the end of the day it is the client's case that is at stake. They are the decision makers.

I am the person who's there to give advice based on my experiences in an attempt to avoid mistakes and errors that can either lengthen a case unnecessarily or result in a bad result when it comes to time with their children or distribution of their property. I'd make the claim that if a client takes ownership of their case and becomes fully invested not only in the end results but in the process it takes to complete the case that will go a long ways towards making the divorce process a relatively smooth one.

Responsiveness to Requests

Family Lawyer in Houston: Finally- I would say that a client who is responsive to requests is especially helpful during a divorce. At the beginning of a case there is a fair amount of paperwork to be done that includes basic information that is needed by our office about you and your family.

In addition, courts require that participants to a divorce case file financial information that detail their monthly income and expenditures for the court to consider when and if they need to award spousal or child support.

After that, if the opposing party requests additional information from a client (known as Discovery) our office will need a client to work closely with us to retrieve and turn in various documents that are relevant to the divorce.

My point is that throughout the divorce there will be times that an attorney will need their client to be responsive to requests for documents, information and requests for various items. If a client is attentive and quick to respond it keeps the train moving along, so to speak. If it takes a week to get a response from the client that can delay your case unnecessarily.

Make no mistake- it is your attorney's job to ensure that your case moves along smoothly and efficiently- not the client's. However- it is the client's life that is directly affected by the proceedings and as a result it is imperative that they take ownership of the process and are attentive to the requests of their counsel.

Final Thoughts

Houston Family Law Lawyer: My final thoughts on the subject of attorney-client communication is that attorneys function similarly to your accountant, your mechanic or the person you're the closest to on earth- yourself. Attorneys are infamously busy, over-worked and sometimes not the best with getting in touch with clients after a missed phone call.

However, I would ask a little patience on behalf of myself and my fellow members of the bar. If you haven't heard back from your lawyer after a day or so, rather than stewing silently- you're better off calling the lawyer again.

It is our job and our responsibility to return phone calls and generally be proactive when it comes to communication but even the lawyer with the best of intentions can fall short- just like your or me.

Hiring a lawyer is about trust, first and foremost. The attorneys with the Law Office of Bryan Fagan, PLLC understand this and take this concept to heart. If you are considering hiring an attorney for a family law matter- or considering which lawyer to hire- please contact us today for a free of charge consultation.

The attorneys at the Law Office of Bryan Fagan, PLLC pride ourselves on understanding that the client's needs come first and foremost while also pushing our clients towards being active participants in their case. If you are in the need for experienced family law representation please contact our office today for a free consultation ... Continue Reading