Thursday, May 27, 2010

The Family Attorney You Can Depend On

Don’t you just wish you could be a kid again -- happiness seemed to be plenty and sadness never seemed to last? The only problem is that we grow up and experience life. Life is not always perfect. We can hope that our lives turn out for the best, but hope is not always enough. There is no way to get around life’s problems. They will keep coming. That might sound depressing, but it is a simple fact. The only thing to do is know who to turn to when these problems arise. Stressful times are not defined by the problem, but by the way we recover from them. There are people who can help.

When looking for someone who can help you with family law issues, find someone who is a committed family man himself -- the commitment will not stop there. Find someone who specializes in divorce, child custody, support and abuse, adoption, alimony, and any domestic violence. Some of these cases can be highly emotional. It's important your chosen attorney can handle them efficiently and successfully.

Make sure your attorney's passion is finding justice in the family. Professional attorneys can give you a free thirty minute consultation. Think of it as an interview, and you’re the boss. All matters discussed are confidential, and your attorney will try to get enough information about your divorce or child custody issue to make sure he understands the case completely. Also, a good attorney is going to be available at almost any time, and offer full contact from the beginning of the case all the way until you walk away happy. Unfortunately, when dealing with family law cases, the happy endings can also be bitter. You want a lawyer who is not only there for the check when all is said and done. You deserve a lawyer who sews into each case as it is his own.

Thursday, May 13, 2010

What You Need to Know About Civil Appeals

An appeal is a court proceeding in which a higher court will review the actions taken by a trial court. A civil appeal is generally limited to only a review of the lower courts record and decision. Parties are not allowed to enter new information into the proceedings and can only utilize original information from the first proceeding. Issues which were not raised by the original trial are not able to be addressed during the appeals process and the appellate court will review the lower courts application of certain laws in accordance to facts that were presented at the trial.

When someone is engaged in a civil appeal no matter what the issue may be about, it is a good idea to retain a top notch attorney for legal counsel and representation. Fact finding by the judge or jury at the original trial are not able to be reversed by an appellate court. The appellate court may only render a new decision if there were serious errors which prevented a person from having a fair trial or if there was not enough evidence entered to support the court’s decision.

If the trial judge used the laws properly and the decision was supported by substantial evidence, the higher court is not allowed to overturn the decision. It does not matter whether or not the person had proper counsel in the first trial, when filing a civil appeals it is not a time to engage an unskilled attorney for the job.

When facing a civil appeal, people need to realize it is a much more influential and heavier responsibility on an attorney. When seeking a new decision or a reversal of a previous judgment, the person needs to have fair and just representation and it is up to the individual to find a good lawyer to take the case. Never let a civil appeals be intimidating, by having a highly skilled legal representative on your side you can go into court with confidence and rest assured you will be taken care of in the best way possible. Don’t wait till the last minute to contact an attorney, do it now and take the future into your hands.