A Rhode Island man called me on Thursday. The man wanting to know what price I charged for handling a simple uncontested Rhode Island divorce. I told him that it is not quite that simple.
"Why not?", the man asked.
I explained that I provide quotes on a case by case basis after a one hour hour coaching and case evaluation session.
"What?!?", the man stated angrily.
I calmly explained that I have a one hour coaching session with each prospective client to ask the necessary questions, advise the person of their legal rights and alternatives, coach the person on the approaches that could be taken, and evaluate their case if they should decide to ask me to represent them.
This Rhode Island gentleman proceeded to argue with me. "It should be no big deal to give me a price for an uncontested divorce. They should all be pretty much the same. You lawyers are all alike!", the man was clearly angry.
Apparently the man had called several other Rhode Island lawyers about uncontested divorce prices and they were not willing to provide prices for their services over the telephone and urged him to make an appointment.
I could certainly understand the man's frustration. However, I wasn't appreciating the fact that this man was directing his anger at me. I was willing to tell him about my coaching program since that is a set fee service but the man wasn't interested.
It was apparent that the man not searching for a "skilled" Rhode Island divorce lawyer. Instead he was looking for a "cheap" lawyer who would just stand by him at the hearing and protect him.
As the man continued to talk, he stated that he didn't see what the big deal about all about. He insisted his case was straight-forward.
As the man talked, he quickly laid out a few of the circumstances surrounding his marriage. It went something like this.
Man: "We've been married six (6) years. I'm in the military but I'm a Rhode Island resident. My wife had an affair with some guy and had two kids while I was deployed. We agree on everything. We just want it over quick. It's that easy."
I tried to explain to the man that I get calls from dozens of people every month telling me how easy their case is, that it's uncontested, and that it shouldn't cost anything at all. I tried to get this fellow to understand that every divorce is not the same and that 9 times out of 10 times the so-called "uncontested divorces" are not as simple as people think.
The man refused to believe that his case could be any more complicated than an attorney spending an hour or two.
Ultimately my response about his "clear" uncontested Rhode Island Divorce took on a different form. It went something like this:
Attorney Pearsall: "Well, I've been talking to you only for about 3 minutes now and I know of several issues you may not be aware of just from the small amount of information you've provided. For instance, are you aware that under Rhode Island law there is a presumption that any children born while you are still married to your wife are YOURS!"The man was quiet.
Attorney Pearsall: "Your wife hasn't been trustworthy about your marriage. Can you imagine what would happen if she were to appear before the Rhode Island Family Court and request that you pay child support for these children?"
Man: "Well, that ain't gonna happen."
Attorney Pearsall: "Are you sure? I can tell you that if a Rhode Island Family Court Judge orders you to pay child support for those two kids, then you had better pay it, or you should be prepared to potentially spend some time in the Adult Correctional Institution."
Man: "That's ridiculous. So she screws around and has two kids with some other guy and I have to pay for them? That would never happen. I'll just ask my wife who the father is. She'll have to tell the court I'm not the father and that will be the end of it, right?"
The man paused and waited for an answer. As the man waited for answers. I decided to show him how simple his divorce might not be!
Attorney Pearsall: "That's the question. Is that all it takes? Do you know if you need the birth certificate for these kids as proof? Or does the father of these kids have to testify? Your wife hasn't been very honest with you so far. What if she lies to the court? Or what if she doesn't say anything at all? What if she says she doesn't know if you are the father or not?"
"Do you have a written agreement that she's willing to waive alimony permanently? Or what about your military benefits, do you know if your wife qualifies for benefits or if she's going to waive them?"
I stopped talking so the Rhode Island military man could respond.
After I stopped talking for quite a while the man spoke up.
Man: "Well, what are the answers all these questions?"
Attorney Pearsall: "That's my point! You don't know. You've spent only a few minutes talking with me and I've already identified numerous questions that you want the answers to. That's why having an experienced Rhode Island Divorce Lawyer coach you or represent you is so important."
The man clearly got the point.
Man: "Okay, I get it. But I don't have much of a budget."\
Attorney Pearsall: "That's exactly why I created my divorce coaching program. It costs less and you get the answers to these questions and much more to protect yourself. It's a good way to help insure that your divorce goes smoothly."
Man: "I'll consider it and call you back if I decide to use you."
Suddenly, without any thanks at all the man hung up.
The point is simple. Your divorce may look simple to you. However, you are not a divorce lawyer in Rhode Island. I could spend several lifetimes trying to master all the Rhode Island divorce issues and still not cover everything.
It's better to be wise and to remember that often times things are never as simple as they seem. A trained legal professional with expertise in the area of divorce and family law will probably spot problems you might never notice.
In any divorce situation you want to find and prepare for issues before your divorce hearing. You do not want to discover the problems after your divorce is done when it may be too late to do anything about it.
It is important to find as many issues as you can before it is too late to do anything about them. It doesn't always have to be costly. Sometimes a good divorce coach is all you need. At other times, you need a professional by your side every step of the way.
Authored By:
Christopher A. Pearsall, Attorney-at-Law
Rhode Island's Full-Time Divorce* Lawyer is Now
Rhode Island's Only Divorce and Family Law Coach!!
Discover the Tremendous Benefits You Receive by
Participating in Family Law Coaching Sessions!
Visit the RhodeIslandDivorceCoach.com
Call (401) 632-6976 Now
to
Schedule Your Low-Cost Rhode Island Divorce* or Family Law* Coaching Session!
Experience the Difference!
Copyright 2009 to Present. Christopher A. Pearsall, Esquire
Offering Rhode Island Rhode Island Divorce and Family Law Coaching for a New Millenium!
* The Rhode Island Supreme Court licenses all attorneys in the general practice of law. The court does not license or certify any lawyer as an expert or specialist in any particular field of practice.
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A Lawyer who Hates Lawyers? What is this RI Divorce Lawyer Really Saying?
Today, I am a Rhode Island lawyer focusing my practice on divorce and divorce coaching. Looking back decades ago I remember another lawyer who had been practicing in another state for some 40+ years who said something that perplexed me.
The lawyer was about as true, honorable, and generous a gentleman as I have ever met. He had all the qualities I envisioned a good lawyer would have. He truly cared about each of his clients. He fought for each one within the bounds of the law, within his professional code of ethics, and with a high degree of morality. The lawyer knew that I greatly admired him as both a person and as a lawyer.
One extremely hot summer afternoon this lawyer returned to his office after losing a district court hearing. He plopped himself down in the chair at the opposite end of the short conference room table I was sitting at in his office law library. His secretary nervously brought him a lemonade and napkin then quickly skirted out of the room. There was an endless silence.
Finally, I spoke,
The lawyer lifted his head, wiped his brow with a napkin, grabbed a nearby law book and flung it across his law library breaking the law book's spine.
It was one of the first times I had ever seen this man so upset.
I was quiet until the lawyer spoke.
This time the pause was endless yet I was just too puzzled not to speak.The lawyer was quiet again, so I asked it as a question.
The lawyer waited quite awhile before speaking.
The conversation ended.
I've been working in the legal field now for more than 20 years since that conversation.
As a Rhode Island lawyer, I am bound by a Professional Code of Ethical Conduct among other things. There are things that I shouldn't say or do and there are things that I can't say or do despite the right to Free Speech guaranteed to all of us by the United States Constitution. The layperson would be amazed.
* * * A Message for Roger * * *
For a point of reference only, the lawyer's name was Roger.
Hopefully he's still alive and hopefully he is in tune enough with today's "internet" that he reads this article.
First, to this great lawyer.
Now, to my readers I offer this.
You may not understand this statement until you meet with me.
With that said, I can tell you that as a Rhode Island Lawyer who has focused my practice exclusively in the area of divorce and family law, I cannot make your problems go away. No lawyer can! Yet some lawyers may tell you they can to get you as a client.
Lawyers can't make your problems go away because fundamentally they are your problems. Only you can take responsibility for those challenges in your life. Only you truly have the power to resolve those challenges by your decisions.
However, I can tell you that I can help you understand and get through your Rhode Island divorce or family law challenges by working with you either as your Coach or as your Representative.
* * * Your Divorce Coaching Program * * *
Roger's words were invaluable. Today, they are the powerful force motivating the continued growth of your Family Law Coaching program.
I call it Your Program because it is designed specifically for you. It is designed to teach you, train you, advise you, inform you, and save you time and money in the areas of divorce and family law.
As Your Coaching Program continues to evolve, it will continue to work faster for you, become more economical for you, and become more helpful for you.
Whatever you choose to believe, there is one thing you can know with certainty. I am one lawyer trying to make a difference for YOU with a new and innovative way of practice designed by hard work, my belief that you can do more than you believe you can at this moment, and your willingness to be open to something new that works.
What can Your Coaching Program help you with? Here is a brief list . . .
Rhode Island Divorces & Legal Separations, Rhode Island Child Support Establishment, Modifications, Collections and Terminations, Rhode Island Child Custody Matters and Child Custody Modifications, Rhode Island Petitions to Enforced Marital Settlement Agreements and Property Settlement Agreements, Preparing Pre-Nuptual Agreements and Ante-Nuptual Agreements in Rhode Island, RI Petitions to Move Out of State with Minor Children, Petitions to Establish Paternity in Rhode Island, Rhode Island Motions to Adjudge In Contempt and Defense of those Contempt Motions, Protection from Abuse Petitions and Defense Against Such Petitions, Rhode Island Motions and Petitions to Establish, Modify or Terminate Visitation, RI Common Law Divorces and their Defense, Rhode Island Legal Rights, Rhode Island Family Court Procedures, 2nd Opinions about your Attorney on Rhode Island Divorce Cases, Pro Se Representation (i.e. Representing Yourself Appropriately in Family Court), and many more . . .
Look for the Testimonials Section about Your Coaching Program which is coming soon. Feel Free to Call Me for a low-cost Coaching Session!
Attorney Christopher A. Pearsall - Phone: (401) 632-6976
Posted by Attorney Christopher A. Pearsall on July 07, 2010 at 08:42 PM in Affordable Legal Advice, After-Acquired Property, Alimony, Attorney Ethics, Attorney Liens, Attorney Morality & Integrity, Attorney Tactics, Billing Issues, Child Placement, Child Support, College Obligations, Commentaries, Common Law Marriage, Coping with Divorce, Coventry, RI - Uncontested Divorces, DCYF and Parental Alienation, Differing Family Law Services, Divorce & 401Ks, Divorce & Addictions, Divorce & Adultery, Divorce & Affairs, Divorce & Affordable Help, Divorce & Assets, Divorce & Attorneys Fees, Divorce & Bank Accounts, Divorce & Cheating, Divorce & Child Care, Divorce & Children, Divorce & Children's Rights, Divorce & Coaching, Divorce & Computer Data Recovery, Divorce & Contempt, Divorce & Controversial, Divorce & Counseling, Divorce & Court Orders, Divorce & Credit Cards, Divorce & Dating, Divorce & Death, Divorce & Debt, Divorce & Defenses, Divorce & Discovery, Divorce & Evidence, Divorce & Experts, Divorce & Fathers, Divorce & Forensic Data Recovery, Divorce & Grounds, Divorce & Healthcare, Divorce & Intercourse, Divorce & IRAs, Divorce & Judicial Bias, Divorce & Legal Resources, Divorce & Love, Divorce & Marriage, Divorce & Mediation, Divorce & Medical Provisions, Divorce & Men, Divorce & Mothers, Divorce & Motions, Divorce & Pensions, Divorce & Personal Injury Claims, Divorce & Pre-Trials, Divorce & Prejudice, Divorce & Questions, Divorce & Separation, Divorce & Trials, Divorce & Women, Divorce & Your State of Mind, Divorce and Computers, Divorce and Forensic Evidence, Divorce and Mental Health, Divorce Appeals, Divorce Attorney Fees & Costs, Divorce Attorneys & Disciplinary Complaints, Divorce Costs & Expenses, Divorce Court, Divorce Forms, Divorce Hearings and Trials, Divorce Kits, Divorce Lawyers, Divorce Lawyers & Practice Philosophies, Divorce Principles, Divorce Procedure, Divorce Questions, Divorce Settlements, Equitable Distribution, Family Court & Children, Family Law Ethics, Forensic Computer Data Recovery Specialists, Grandparents Rights, Guardian Ad Litem Reports, Healthcare, Inheritances, Insurances, Judicial Abuse, Judicial Misconduct, Laypeople Acting PRO SE, Legal Article Directories, Legal Custody, Low Cost Divorce, Marital Assets, Marital Home, Marital Settlement Agreements, Non-Marital Assets, Parental Rights, Physical Custody of Children, Placement, Post-Divorce Moving Issues, Pre-Marital Assets, Property Settlement Agreements, Protection from Abuse, Rhode Island Case Law, Rhode Island Common Law, Rhode Island Debt, Rhode Island Divorce & Bankruptcy, Rhode Island Divorce Coaches, Rhode Island Divorce Coaching, Rhode Island Divorce Laws, Rhode Island Nominal Proceedings, RI Child Custody Attorneys & Lawyers, RI Common Law Divorces, RI Common Law Marriage, RI Divorce & Real Estate, RI Divorce and Bankruptcy, RI Divorce and Bi-Sexuality, RI Divorce and Homosexuality, RI Divorce and Legal Presumptions, RI Divorce and Military Benefits, RI Divorce and Perspectives, RI Divorce Attorney Apology, RI Divorce Grounds, RI Divorce Residency Requirement, RI Divorce Settlement Dangers, RI Divorce Terminology, RI Family Court Judges - Philosophy, RI General Laws about Divorce, RI Uncontested Divorces, Statutory Waiting Period, Tax Issues, Testimonials, Tricky Divorce Issues, Uncontested Divorces in Rhode Island, Visitation | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)
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