But I Cannot Afford An Attorney!!

Well, times are changing! A new phenomenon is taking place in family law litigation and it is called “Limited Scope Representation” (LSR). Currently, there are large numbers of family law litigants who appear in court representing themselves. They appear on the day of their hearing ready, willing and able to get their matter finally resolved. They have waited months, if not years, to resolve their issues and move on with their life. The other party, generally representing themselves as well, also appear ready to get their matter resolved. Both parties have taken the day off work and

for some, made arrangements for child care or transportation. Everything is in place – or so they think. Time and time again I see these type of cases in court. The case is called before the Judge who tells them their paperwork is not correct, or has been improperly served, or was set on the wrong date. Ultimately, the court cannot proceed and the parties need to refile their papers and start the process all over again. Not an efficient way to proceed and it is all because they thought they could not afford an attorney!

Now under the LSR, a litigant can hire an attorney for one or several issues. Generally, the litigant decides what tasks are necessary: Drafting documents, filing court forms, negotiating with the other party, making court appearances, understanding procedure, attending settlement conferences, contacting witnesses, and other necessary tasks. LSR is an excellent fit with family law cases because there are oftentimes areas in family law that can be handled independently of other areas. Thus, you don’t necessarily have to have a large retainer to hire an attorney for your entire case. You, as the consumer, determine how much you want to spend and how you want to spend it. Now, thanks to LSR, there is no reason you should not be able to get quality advice or services and have your case completed in a timely fashion.