Why Hire An Attorney

by Feb 21, 2017Advice

Television programs often lead one to think that it is easier to attend to legal matters on your own rather than employ the services of an Attorney. In certain circumstances this may be true, such as trying to have a traffic fine reduced or pursuing a small claims court matter but in other instances it can be extremely risky to attempt to go at it alone. While good legal representation may cost you money, having the advice of a knowledgeable and experienced Attorney can save you from further sticky situations and additional costs down the line such as, a bad divorce settlement, a lost job or a failed property transfer. While each legal matter is different there are a number of reasons why you should consider hiring an Attorney to assist you which include the following:

  1. The law is complicated. Even experienced Attorneys do not usually represent themselves in court. A very good case can easily sour without the help of an Attorney who can deal with your matter objectively and without the associated emotion that you may feel towards it. In other words, the Attorney will deal with the matter on a factual rather an emotional basis.
  2. Not having an Attorney may end up costing you more in the long run. Either financially in the case of a civil matter or in terms of time behind bars in the case of a criminal matter.
  3. Attorneys know how to challenge evidence. You may not know for example that an important piece of evidence against you was not obtained in the correct manner or that the statement of a witness contradicts an earlier statement that he or she may have made. It is the duty of the Attorney to sift through the information and to find out these important facts.
  4. Attorneys understand how to properly file court documents and handle other legal procedures. The failure to comply with time limits prescribed by law can lead to your matter being delayed or even dismissed.
  5. You may not know what a ‘pleading’ is. A pleading is a formal court document filed during the course of certain legal matters. An Attorney, who understands the law and the importance of what is reflected in such documents, can help you avoid potentially severe penalties if the content of such documents is incorrect.
  6. It is better to avoid problems rather than to fix them once they arise. Prevention is better than cure so to speak. Do you understand the fineprint in the contract that you are signing? An Attorney will and will be able to advise you accordingly avoiding instances that may lead to headaches for you down the line.
  7. A good Attorney will assist you in settling the matter in an amicable manner, where possible. An experienced Attorney has probably dealt with similar matters and knows enough to be able to give you calculated advice about how the matter may be dealt with if it proceeds to trial. Sometimes settling the matter is the best option and an Attorney can help you to negotiate this.
  8. The other party has legal representation. You will generally be at a disadvantage if you are representing yourself against a party who is represented by an Attorney. It would be wise in such instances in particular to ensure that you too are legally represented.