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Affordability Doesn't Come Cheap When Trying to Find a Rhode Island Divorce Lawyer!

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Atty Chris Pearsall

Authored By:  Christopher Pearsall, RI Divorce Attorney
a.k.a.  " The Rhode Island Divorce Coach ℠ "

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There is a huge PRO SE movement going forward in the Rhode island Family Courts.  The court schedules have people representing themselves in their own cases every day.  Beside each listing for those people it says "PRO SE."  The listings used to be few and far between on the Rhode Island divorce and family court calendars but today they are everywhere.

I started wondering why this newer "PRO SE" movement had grown so large when your legal rights relating to your family law matters are so very important such that even one mistake can cause irreparable harm. 

So months ago I began listening to people more intently at court, in my office, and in public commentaries in print and online.  For my result I focused on three (3) questions that might help understand this PRO SE trend on the family court calendars.

QUESTIONS

1)  Is it that all divorce lawyers are viewed as being too expensive? 

2)  Is it that people simply don't have the money to hire a divorce lawyer in any capacity? 

3)  Or could it be that the Rhode Island family court is making divorces easier and people don't see the perils of representing themselves?

The answer related not to one or two of the questions but to all three (3).

The vast majority of people I listened to and considered related mostly to Rhode Island divorces but still I kept my ears open about comments by people talking about lawyers, their consultations with other lawyers, editorials and other materials.  I found that the vast majority of people in the middle class viewed lawyers as being drastically overpaid, expensive and not worth the monies they would be paid and so they would rather go PRO SE and save themselves expensive attorney's fees.

A good many people also believed that representation in a divorce or family law matter was the only option available to them and therefore concluded that since they simply didn't have the money to hire a lawyer to represent them to protect their rights that they were forced to go forward PRO SE and represent themselves.

Lastly, there were quite a few people who didn't want to spend any money on getting divorced and heard through a friend or relative that not only was the court giving out the questions that they should be prepared to answer at the hearing but that the judge's were, in fact, leading them through the divorce and therefore a lawyer was unnecessary.

The reasoning used by most of the people who were part of my private study was interesting but flawed for two reasons. 

First, people need to understand that representation is not the only form of legal assistance available in the Rhode Island legal community.  Coaching in divorce and other areas of law has been around for years.  This is legal assistance that lawyers provide to clients on an "as desired basis" or "as affordable basis" to clients who cannot afford full-service "in court" representation but who must represent themselves due to the cost but still need to know their rights and the proper procedure for asserting those rights. 

The challenge of finding one of these "Coaching" attorneys is that many of them still focus on full-service in-court representations and they do not openly promote their "coaching services" which brings in a small amount of income and a greater level of liability exposure for what they are paid.  As you can imagine then, this is not the focus of many practitioners and this option is often only revealed when a prospective client discloses that he or she cannot afford the full-service representation.  Yet coaching has become a substantial way to exercise your constitutional right to represent yourself, save a considerable amount of money compared to full representation and yet still have access to an experienced lawyer to learn about your legal rights as well as the procedure you can use to press those rights before the court.

Yet coaching and it's affordability doesn't come cheap.  It's price?  It can take substantial time and effort to find an attorney who offers coaching in the area of law that you need assistance with (family law or otherwise) and therefore if you want the affordability it comes at a sacrifice of your time and effort to find such an attorney.

Second, people need to understand that the questions provided by the court in the divorce papers are merely general questions that can relate to many divorces.  They were not created necessarily to help the public but to help the judges by providing a guide that PRO SE people could follow, regardless of whether it was right or not for your divorce.  However, that particular determination is yours to make because you are acting as your own lawyer and the protector of your own rights when you are PRO SE.  The judges may even ask you the questions on that sample sheet.  Litigants look at this as kindly helping them through the process just as they should be going through it.  This presumption is dead wrong.  The judge asks you questions that the judge knows apply to most divorces because the judge needs to make findings of fact and a decision affecting the parties' rights at the end of the hearing.  Without specific content the judge can't make the required findings of fact and the decisions in the case.  The judge's job is to give you your day in court and to clear his or her docket properly and legally of the cases on it.  It is your job to protect your own rights.  The sample questions you are given DO NOT protect your legal rights.  If the judge asks you the sample questions or other questions during the divorce proceeding, this is not designed to protect your legal rights.

It is YOUR JOB and ONLY YOUR JOB to know your rights and to protect them during any divorce or family law proceeding in the Rhode Island Courts.  So, if you represent yourself, PRO SE, and you miss something, forget something, mis-state something, or misunderstand something then you should understand that you should not expect that you should or even can sue the State of Rhode Island or the Judge who presided over your proceeding.

If you want a cheaper or more affordable divorce and you feel up to representing yourself, then by all means you have the constitutional right to do so but you should most assuredly get some coaching from an experienced family law practitioner who offers coaching and can inform you about your rights, the procedures, etc...  Naturally your level of protection and safety in the proceeding relates to the amount of coaching and advice you are willing to engage the attorney for, but it is better than thinking that you know as much as a lawyer who has been doing this for many years and has read the law, or than thinking that the court is already protecting you so you don't need a lawyer at all. 

If you don't know your legal rights in a divorce and how to protect them, you might as well not have them.


Rhode Island Divorce Lawyers - Do you have a Representation or Fee Agreement with Yours?

Trusting your Rhode Island divorce lawyer is one thing.  Turning over control of your life and your financial stability to that lawyer lacks common sense.

Virtually every client who is retaining or engaging the services of a divorce lawyer to represent him or her in a divorce matter should have a signed fee agreement with that lawyer.  That while I understand that sometimes both the lawyer and the client may have intentions of preparing and executing such an agreement it may get delayed in the shuffle if the client is in need of services as quickly as possible, it should not be forgotten entirely.

A signed retainer agreement, fee agreement or engagement letter is crucial to both the lawyer and the client.  It is the foundation of your agreement and for the most part it should spell out the client's major responsibilities and obligations to the lawyer and the lawyer's responsibilities and obligations to the client.  In shorthand, it tells the lawyer what he or she is receiving out of the fee arrangement or agreement.  It also tells the client what he or she is receiving from his or her lawyer out of the very same fee arrangement or agreement.  For the most part it is the foundation of the relationship between the RI divorce lawyer / attorney and the client.

What happens if you don't have an agreement with your lawyer?  Frankly, you could have a time bomb waiting to explode.

I'll explain why in tomorrow's article.

For now, you should know that the agreement should contain all the major terms of what the ri divorce lawyer and the client have agreed to, including the price, how things will be charged, what things will be charged, what things will not be charged, and what the scope of the matter is.

Many people often have misconceptions about what the divorce lawyer must do for them.  As a result, a client may make demands on the attorney that are unreasonable or simply aren't possible, but just as it is said in retail stores that "the customer is always right" the client often believes that the same is true for them.  Frequently this is not the case!  This is precisely the reason that a fee agreement between the lawyer and a client when representation in a court is involved is so crucial.  This is especially true when it comes down to payment and terms of what the payments cover.

Lastly, the Fee Agreement between the RI divorce lawyer and the client should be signed by both the lawyer and the client for the sake of clarity.  When both parties sign the contract for services for payment between them, then if either party ever has to proceed to court to enforce the agreement that absent a claim of forgery the court usually knows that the lawyer and the client have each agreed to the terms in the fee or retainer agreement.  The signature of each party is always one of the most important parts of the agreement.

Read tomorrow's article for an example of what can happen when there is no fee agreement between the parties.

 

All my Best to All Who Go Before the Rhode Island Family Court,

I am Attorney Christopher A. Pearsall ... "The Rhode Island Divorce Coach."


Uncontested RI Divorce Forms - A Rhode Island Lawyer to Assist You!

It's true.  Rhode Island Divorce forms for your initial divorce filing can be confusing even if you believe you have a simple uncontested Rhode Island Divorce.  Yet without filling out those forms and filing them properly with all the right information in the right place, your seemingly uncontested Rhode Island divorce isn't going anywhere.  There is little more I can tell you in this short article other than, you have to get it right or your uncontested divorce proceeding isn't going anywhere.

Can you get the divorce forms you need?  Absolutely!  It is best to pick them up by asking for a complete divorce packet from the Domestic Relations counter at the family court in the county in Rhode Island where you plan on filing your divorce just in case the forms are pre-printed with the name of the county and the address of the county family court.  Forms do change from time to time but as of the time of this short article this is the best suggestion available to insure you receive the correct paperwork to get your uncontested Rhode Island divorce started.

When you look at the Rhode Island Divorce forms, if they look confusing to you and you aren't sure what information to put in which area of the forms, you need some help.  

First, please don't be upset or rude when the Rhode Island Family Court clerks and assistant clerks explain to you that they can't help you fill out the divorce forms.  If you look around, you should see a sign posted that states that they aren't allowed to assist you in filling out forms.  Remember, simply because they provide you with the divorce forms doesn't mean they necessarily know, understand all the legalities or ramifications that come with filling in each and every form you are given.

Second, say you start trying to fill out the initial forms for your uncontested Rhode Island divorce right at the courthouse and you ask a nearby lawyer for help because you don't understand what to do.  Please refrain from calling the attorney names or stating outloud that he lawyer is merely greedy if he or she asks you to engage them as your attorney first.  Even though typically you can't be sued for trying to help someone out with legal forms because you are not a lawyer, a lawyer has the possibility of being sued for helping you even if you have misunderstood what the lawyer has told you. 

So if you believe you have an uncontested Rhode Island Divorce, what do you do if you don't have $2,000 to hire a lawyer to take you through the process?

Do you need help understanding the uncontested Rhode Island divorce process?

Do you need help making sure your Rhode Island divorce forms are completed correctly so they aren't rejected by the family court when you file?

Do you need help reaching an agreement with your spouse to resolve your divorce?

Do you simply need to know your legal rights in a divorce?

Do you know what to say at your Nominal/Uncontested Rhode Island Divorce?

Do you need help preparing the Decision Pending Entry of the Final Judgment or the Final Judgment of Divorce itself?

At only $135 for a one hour office session to help you with one of these things, it can't be beat.

Finally, there's someone here to help you with just what you need help with.  

Affordable legal help for your divorce is just a phone call away!  

Go ahead, Give me a call Now at (401) 632-6976 schedule your RI Divorce Coaching and Assistance Session and make sure you get your uncontested divorce forms done right!


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 2000 to Present.  Christopher A. Pearsall, Esquire
 Offering Rhode Island Rhode Island Divorce and Family Law Coaching for a New Millenium!

Note: If this article contains a case scenario with names, dates or amounts, any resemblance any connection to any person or situation now or previously existing is purely accidental, unintentional, and is merely a mistaken creation in the mind of the reader.

* 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.

- - Recommended Websites - -

Pearsall.net | AttorneyPearsall.com | Rhode Island Divorce Tips | ChristopherPearsall.com | GuaranteedWealth.com | Rhode Island Divorce Attorney | Rhode Island Divorce Lawyer | ChrisPearsall.com | LegalScholar.com | Pearsall-Law-Associates.comRhode Island Divorce Attorneys | Rhode Island Divorce Lawyers | Rhode Island Divorce Coach  |  RI Divorce Coach | RI Divorce Lawyer on Twitter | Rhode Island Divorce Coach on Twitter | Rhode Island Divorce Lawyer on Facebook.com| Attorney Chris Pearsall at LawGuru.com | Rhode Island Family Law Lawyer - RI Consumer Tips


RI Divorce for LegalForms.com, CompleteCase.com, and LegalZoom.com?.. It's time to Step Aside for Rhode Island Divorces!

LegalForms.com, CompleteCase.com, LegalZoom.com, and others . . . . please do me a favor and step aside gracefully.  I've spent more time helping people fix the mistakes in your forms and instructions which people in the Rhode Island family court system rely upon as "legal advice."  

As a Rhode Island lawyer who focuses my practice exclusively on divorce and family law it takes more time and energy to deprogram these poor people from what you have "done for them" than it would if they came to me in the first place.

I don't care how many forms and instructions you try to churn out to help people, nothing will ever hold a candle to or help more than the personal one on one assistance people can receive from an experienced and licensed Rhode Island lawyer who routinely handles divorce cases.

Admittedly, for those who don't know about my services or are unable to find a Rhode Island lawyer who might provide them with similar services, your paper forms system is certainly less costly than hiring an experienced lawyer in Rhode Island outright, but in my estimation it should be a last resort in Rhode Island divorce situations.

Rhode Island Divorce Coaching is no longer a sideline but is a major part of my law practice along with my continued representation of courtroom clients.  My goal is to help practitioners learn a new method of practice for divorce . . . Coaching.  It is my goal to spread the word and perfect the practice so that it is and will become a major part of many practices in years to come.  

Practitioners who have a hard time getting clients need to wake up to the needs of the people and try this affordable method of practice rather than throwing in the towel and continuing to remain unemployed simply because they can't get a position with a law firm or don't have lots of money to invest to start up their own practice.

Rhode Island Divorce Coaching is new, it's innovative, it's cost effective for clients and it is a win-win-win situation for the lawyer, the court, and especially the client.

For three years now I have endeavored to have fellow members of the Rhode Island Bar join me in this coaching endeavor such that I could help them to help others.  In variably attorneys shy away from this method of practice because they don't see it as profitable enough.  That's understandable.  They have certain expectations as lawyers as to what they want and need to make and this doesn't fit the bill because they look at it only on the surface.  In turn, even those who are aware of my new practice method have not even taken the opportunity to help clients who won't hire them and mention my service to the prospective client who may find this alternative to be within their budget.

Despite these temporary setbacks which I believe will be short lived, I am still confident that Rhode Island Divorce Coaching (as I call it . . .) will play a major role in the future of helpful legal practice for the betterment of the clients and the betterment of how our legal profession is viewed by the public.

In the end, while I don't have a budget to get the exposure of LegalZoom.com, CompleteCase.com and LegalForms.com, I do not in any way believe that they are a substitute for even a single hour with me and yet on average appear to cost twice as much.  

Every divorce is different and is factually driven.  No matter how many forms these companies create, they will never be able to explain every divorce in every instance.  The wording varies, the circumstances vary, and sometimes the approach will change with the facts.  A form can't answer a question for you right there on the spot like a coaching attorney could do.  Even if access to a licensed attorney is purchased in some fashion, how fast might you get a response?  Do you know who is responding?  Do you have a choice who will respond?  Might a Rhode Island attorney who practices mostly real estate closings be answering your very serious divorce questions?  It is certainly possible!

The only thing worse than getting legal advice from a truly unknown and unchecked source is to get bad advice from that source.

So, LegalForms.com, CompleteCase.com, LegalZoom.com and others who do not provide personalized experienced service from a lawyer who is licensed to practice and routinely practices in family court, please step aside and let attorneys who know what we are doing help these good people.  Is it truly worth wrangling $300 or so from some poor man or woman just to provide a bunch of forms and a little bit of knowledge that may do more harm than good?

Ultimately, I'm tired of picking up the pieces from forms services with seemingly empty promises for these people.  Sometimes people need a hero in their divorces.  Though I have never thought of myself as anything other than a caring and experienced lawyer in the area of divorce and family law, you seem to be depicting yourselves as waiving the cape and providing not just a cape but the whole superhero package for those in a Rhode Island divorce situation.  

While Rhode Island Divorce Coaching isn't for everyone and doesn't work in every case, at least I can adjust on the fly to the needs, questions, and facts of each coaching client.  It's something you just can't do and it makes all the difference.

LegalForms.com, CompleteCase.com, LegalZoom.com and other services like them that are out there with the same form and instruction based divorce and family law services filled with lots of promises ....forewarned is forearmed.... 

If people need a hero and you're all they think they've got, I'm more than willing to dawn the cape and do what you can't.  Someone has to be there to protect the people. For some people it might as well be me.


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 2000 to Present.  Christopher A. Pearsall, Esquire
 Offering Rhode Island Rhode Island Divorce and Family Law Coaching for a New Millenium!

Note: If this article contains a case scenario with names, dates or amounts, any resemblance any connection to any person or situation now or previously existing is purely accidental, unintentional, and is merely a mistaken creation in the mind of the reader.

* 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.

- - Recommended Websites - -

Pearsall.net | AttorneyPearsall.com | Rhode Island Divorce Tips | ChristopherPearsall.com | GuaranteedWealth.com | Rhode Island Divorce Attorney | Rhode Island Divorce Lawyer | ChrisPearsall.com | LegalScholar.com | Pearsall-Law-Associates.comRhode Island Divorce Attorneys | Rhode Island Divorce Lawyers | Rhode Island Divorce Coach  |  RI Divorce Coach | RI Divorce Lawyer on Twitter | Rhode Island Divorce Coach on Twitter | Rhode Island Divorce Lawyer on Facebook.com| Attorney Chris Pearsall at LawGuru.com | Rhode Island Family Law Lawyer - RI Consumer Tips


The Rhode Island Divorce Coach explains Divorce Coaching in a Nutshell!

The Rhode Island Divorce Coaching Program™ was created based on three fundamental principles:

1)  Not Everyone has the financial ability to hire an experienced Rhode Island divorce lawyer in a divorce case.

2)  People Always Need Competent Legal Guidance but not necessarily Legal Representation in a Divorce Case.

3)  People need an affordable alternative to retaining an attorney to represent them in a divorce.

The Rhode Island Divorce Coaching Program™ is exclusive to my divorce law practice and was designed specifically to help people in divorce situations without breaking their wallet.

For most divorce cases it takes only 5-one hour sessions meeting with Attorney Christopher Pearsall from understanding the legal process and filing your divorce through the execution of your Final Judgment of Divorce which completes your divorce process.  

At only $135.00 per coaching session with sessions spread out over the duration of your divorce, you go at your own pace and even have time to save up the money in between sessions.  Whether you pay by check, money order or cash or even put your sessions on a credit card to give you even more time to pay the sessions off over time, clients have found that this to be perhaps the most affordable and helpful solution to completing their divorce in a timely fashion which also allows them to understand what is going on each step of the way.  From beginning to end you know exactly what is happening without being overwhelmed by taking my "Bite at a Time Approach"® to uncontested divorces.

For those who face more challenging situations the program can be customized to meet your needs at a cost that is still more afforable than typical representation.

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 Divorce and 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!

At only $135 for a Full One-Hour Coaching Session isn't your issue worth it?

Experience the Difference!

Copyright 2000 to Present.  Christopher A. Pearsall, Esquire
 Offering Rhode Island Rhode Island Divorce and Family Law Coaching for a New Millenium!

Note: If this article contains a case scenario with names, dates or amounts, any resemblance any connection to any person or situation now or previously existing is purely accidental, unintentional, and is merely a mistaken creation in the mind of the reader.

* 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.

- - Recommended Websites - -

Pearsall.net | AttorneyPearsall.com | Rhode Island Divorce Tips | ChristopherPearsall.com | GuaranteedWealth.com | Rhode Island Divorce Attorney | Rhode Island Divorce Lawyer | ChrisPearsall.com | LegalScholar.com | Pearsall-Law-Associates.comRhode Island Divorce Attorneys | Rhode Island Divorce Lawyers | Rhode Island Divorce Coach  |  RI Divorce Coach | RI Divorce Lawyer on Twitter | Rhode Island Divorce Coach on Twitter | Rhode Island Divorce Lawyer on Facebook.com| Attorney Chris Pearsall at LawGuru.com | Rhode Island Family Law Lawyer - RI Consumer Tips