The law is more than a collection of rules. It’s an evolving set of doctrines meant to determine which behaviors are acceptable in society and create incentives to promote those behaviors and eliminate anti-social behaviors. Even if you believe that you have a clear-cut case in which you are eligible for justice or compensation under the law, you may be mistaken. The circumstances surrounding the event may change your perception of what’s legal and what isn’t.
The job of a lawyer is to help you navigate the legal system. But sometimes calling in a lawyer wastes your time and money, escalates tensions and delays resolution. Springbok casino bonus observers share guidelines to help people navigate subjects pertaining to the law so that they can maximize chances for a successful outcome in a potential legal dispute.
Avoiding Court
There are a few ways that you can avoid a lengthy and costly court battle.
One option involves a simple letter. Before a lawyer begins legal proceedings, s/he will often write a strong letter to the other side, demanding compliance with the client’s request. This is referred to as a “demand letter” and sometimes, letter will be enough to convince the other side that getting into a legal battle isn’t worth the effort and will acquiesce.
This can save you thousands of dollars in lawyer and court costs but you can often reduce the costs even further by writing your own demand letter. You can find templates online. The more formal the letter looks, the better.
If you find yourself up against a company, check to see if the company has a customer service department that can help you solve the issue. Companies are often more eager than you are to avoid a court battle. Another avenue might involve contacting your state’s consumer protection department (there is also a federal Bureau of Consumer Protection) which is a division of the state attorney general’s office.
There are other watchdogs that monitor insurance companies and banks and free legal aid offices where you can ask for assistance and ascertain your legal rights in your specific situation. If an insurance company denies your claim, a strongly worded letter from a lawyer is often what’s needed to break the bottleneck.
If you decide to pursue the case legally, the money that you spend on a lawyer at the outset could be beneficial to you as you move forward. A lawyer can guide you so that you don’t do anything that will prejudice your case against you in the future.
Choosing a Lawyer
If you choose your lawyer based on an ad that flashes on the screen during a TV show or a listing in a directory, don’t expect much. You need someone who has the experience and the tenacity to move forward with you. Ask friends and relatives to share their experiences as you collect names of possible lawyers. The lawyer won’t be able to give you references as his/her past cases are private but if you don’t have anyone close to you who can give you a reference, you can ask for suggestions on your social media.
Once you meet the lawyer, make sure that you feel comfortable with him/her. Does the lawyer listen to you? Does s/he explain things clearly? Is the expected fee structure clear? At the end of the day, in order for the relationship to work the person that you hire needs to be someone that you believe in and that you trust.
Immediacy
When do you know that you don’t have time to waffle about whether you’re going to hire a lawyer? If you’re named as the defendant in a legal suit or if you’ve been accused of a crime, you need to get a lawyer immediately. A lawyer will give you clear instructions on what to discuss and what not to discuss so that you don’t put yourself in jeopardy.
Ditto if you’ve been injured and believe that you have a case because, here again, you could jeopardize your rights to legal recourse if you wait too long.
Getting a lawyer involved early on in a case may also be the key to moving towards a dismissal or having the case decided outside the courtroom. It’s a general rule of thumb that the closer you get to a courtroom, the more chance you have of being disappointed with the result.
Attorney Jason Cruz of Cruz Law in San Antonio says “In my experience, a good lawyer always finds every opportunity to keep a case from being decided by a judge, and only relents on trying a case before the bench when all alternatives have been exhausted. If a lawyer suggests they want to try the case in front of a judge, you should definitely speak with another lawyer before proceeding,”
Strategic Plan
You can’t expect to hire a lawyer and then sit back and him/her do all the work. You must be an active partner in your case to communicate your needs and expectations in a way that the lawyer is aware of what is expected. Most importantly, it’s vital that you sit with the lawyer to draw up a strategic plan for your case.
You want the lawyer to demonstrate creative and proactive thinking in planning the methodologies to be used to win the case. The plan should include a summary of what is needed to win the case, how much it will reasonably cost, what the desired results include, and what special circumstances might come up that might cause a need for alternative thinking.
You must also be prepared for all meetings. In addition to saving yourself money on wasted time, you’ll be sending a message to your lawyer that you are an active participant in your case.
