Every day I am amazed by my clients, and this is generally not a good thing. I have compiled a list of things that a person can do that will drastically assist them in the legal process.
1. DO NOT PROCRASTINATE. When you get served papers and it says that you only have 20 days to answer- you really only have 20 days to answer. If you want good representation then you should not wait until day 19 to go see an attorney. They need time to put together a defense for you. The sooner you face the problem the sooner and probably better it will be resolved.
2. ALWAYS TELL THE TRUTH. When your attorney asks you something tell them the truth. Attorneys can deal with the truth; we cannot deal with the lies that we do not know are lies. You generally making your life worse by lying because the truth always prevails.
3. PROVIDE ALL DETAILS. You may find yourself not wanting to tell your attorney something because you are too ashamed or embarrassed of your actions. Guess what- we have heard most of it. And if we haven't heard it, we have learned the appropriate reaction to give you to make you feel like we have heard it.
4. PAY YOUR BILL. Sure attorneys cost a lot of money, but not all the money is going into our pocket. We have lots of student loans to pay, office rent and materials, and not only do we have to worry about putting food on the table for our own families, but we also have staff and their families to feed as well. If your bill is current with your attorney then you may find yourself receiving better representation.
5. LISTEN. If you are paying your attorney $200+ an hour then you should listen to what they have to say. It is okay to ask questions. It is okay to not understand. It is not okay to not listen. Just because your friend or your neighbor or your aunt's second cousin's dog sitter's wife had her case turn out one way, it does not mean that your case will turn out the same. If you have told the truth and provided all the details then your attorney is giving you good advice and you should listen to him/her.
I hope none of you ever find yourself tied up in the legal process but if you do then you now know the key to getting through the process.
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