Retaining an experienced Family Law Attorney can make your life a lot easier when you are facing a life-changing crisis like a divorce and/or child custody case. Here are just a few of things your lawyer can do for you:

1. Serves as Your Guide through the Maze of the Legal System

The American legal system is complicated, and Family Law is certainly no different. Most people are simply not familiar with the ins-and-outs of New Mexico Domestic Relations Law and the Court’s procedures; and that’s completely 100% natural and normal. Often when folks try to represent themselves even for simple routine matters, things don’t go as planned. That’s where an experienced Family Law Attorney can help! Knowing the law, understanding the Court’s rules, and having professional relationships with the legal community help improve the odds that you will experience the results you want and what’s best for you and your family. And that’s what you want.

2. Protects Your Legal Rights

The Court expects that parents understand and know the law. If you choose to represent yourself in Court you do so at your own peril. Under New Mexico law, the judge is supposed to treat you as they would a licensed attorney and that means that the judge is supposed to demand the same professional standards from a non-lawyer as they would from someone who’s graduated law school, passed the bar exam, and has appeared in their courtrooms for years. In all fairness, most people are simply not equipped to do that for themselves. That’s why it’s important to seek out the counsel of an experienced Family Law Attorney who can advise you about your legal rights.

3. Takes Care of the Paperwork

Your lawyer will take care of the paperwork. Courts require all kinds of paperwork. An experienced Family Law Attorney will know what papers to file, how to draft those papers so the judge will read them, and how to respond to the other side’s papers. This is extremely important and shouldn’t be left to non-attorneys.

4. Deals with Your Ex

Most people find it difficult to communicate effectively with their Ex. Emotions run high in divorces and custody matters. And people say and write things they later regret. Your attorney can help by acting on your behalf; talking and communicating with your Ex so that important matters are handled without emotion and so that nothing is “lost in the translation”.

5. Acts as an Advocate

An experienced Family Law Attorney is your warrior who will act as your advocate. Your attorney has an ethical obligation to represent you zealously and professionally.

6. Acts as a Peacemaker

Despite what you may have seen on television or the movies, most of the time, you don’t want to be overly contentious. Courts do not want to see parents fighting nor do they want to see lawyers duking it out in the courtroom. An experienced Family Law Attorney will seek to find a peaceful reasonable resolution to your case. A good lawyer will want to handle of your legal issues with thoughtful negotiation and find solutions through communication and mediation. Even though you are divorcing or disagreeing on child custody matters, most parents have more in common with one another than not. Most people want what’s best for their children and the other parent. And a good lawyer will help you achieve your goals without destroying your family.

If you have questions regarding New Mexico divorce and/or child custody law, please contact me.