Phoenix Uncontested Divorce Attorneys 

One does not have to have any special training or certification to call themselves a paralegal in Arizona. Some people who call themselves paralegals have never even worked for a law firm. Although there are schools for paralegals and certifications, one does not need to go to school or obtain any certifications to call themselves a paralegal. Although there are undoubtedly some excellent paralegals, it is difficult to find out who has the experience and training necessary to assist you in more complex cases. Paralegals are precluded by the Supreme Court Rules from providing any legal advice, although some do – often poor advice, which leads to major problems.

Many people have had very bad experiences with independent paralegal services. Often the forms are not prepared properly, causing unnecessary delays. Paralegals sometimes attempt to represent both sides, which is a conflict of interest, or align themselves with one side. Many people are not protected in the end. The biggest insult is that people sometimes end up paying more for a paralegal than they would have paid for a family law attorney to take care of them properly. Paralegals cannot represent you in court.

Paralegals are not subject to the jurisdiction of the State Bar of Arizona. If your attorney does something wrong, he or she may be subject to discipline. There are strict rules of conduct which govern attorneys. There are no such safeguards with regard to paralegal services.

Like many family law firms, Bishop, Del Vecchio & Beeks Law Office, P.C. has paralegals on staff. Our paralegals have been trained by our attorneys and are under the direct supervision of our attorneys. Our use of paralegals generally saves our clients fees based on their lower hourly rates. At the same time, our attorneys are involved in all aspects of your case.

If possible, it is always in your best interests to consult with a family law attorney before you move out of your residence or file for divorce, even if you decide to represent yourself. What happens early on in a case may turn out to be very important. For example, we generally recommend having at least a temporary parenting agreement in place before you move out of the marital residence if you have children. We also recommend that you videotape all contents of the home so that you can ensure that all items can be identified and are divided equitably. We may also recommend that you scan or photocopy financial records stored in the home.

Each case is different, and many of our clients have special circumstances. Again, some “preventive medicine” may save you a lot of heartache and headaches in the future.

One of the most overlooked issues during the early stages of the divorce or other family law proceedings is the possibility that one spouse will have to pay all or a portion of the other spouse’s attorney fees and costs. This can become very costly if you not only have to pay your own fees but end up having to pay your ex’s fees as well. Talk about salt in the wound!

A good divorce lawyer / family law attorney will keep this in mind at all times. The two main factors that a Court looks at when awarding attorney fees is the parties’ comparable financial resources (does one party make more income or have more property, etc.) and whether either party took unreasonable positions. Thus, it is important for the lawyer to behave ethically and reasonably while at the same time fighting for your rights. Sometimes people say they want a “junkyard dog” for an attorney. Such an attorney does more harm than good. The judges often know who these attorneys are and may place little credibility on the arguments presented by such attorneys. An attorney who writes scathing and nasty letters to the other side, and makes unfounded accusations without any evidence behind such claims, often sets their own clients up for failure and exposure to paying the other party’s attorney fees and costs.

At Bishop, Del Vecchio & Beeks Law Office, P.C., we pride ourselves on advocating strongly for our clients and placing them in the best position for success while also keeping in mind the cost of litigation. During the proceedings, we take the appropriate steps and advise our clients in a manner that increases the possibility to recover all or a portion of their attorney fees, or that limits their exposure to paying the other party’s attorney fees.

If you and your spouse agree to all issues regarding your divorce proceedings, Bishop, Del Vecchio & Beeks Law Office, P.C. can draft settlement documents in order to avoid going to trial. Our firm attempts to identify and resolve all of the issues in your case without expensive legal fees associated with a trial so long as the issues can be settled in a manner that is fair and equitable to you.

Our website has excellent information regarding alternate dispute resolution and mediation services designed to assist you in settling your case, which you can access by clicking here.