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What to Expect at Trial
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What to Expect at Trial

On Behalf of | Mar 26, 2014 | Articles, Divorce

Family Court if Your Case Goes to Trial

If you find yourself unable to settle your divorce or other family law case out of the courtroom then you will most likely end up in front of a judge with the burden of presenting your case and potentially opposing claims made by your husband or wife. In most cases you have one shot to get it right so you want to make sure that your case is presented clearly and completely and in a manner that influences the result that you seek.

Hire an Experienced Divorce Lawyer

A good divorce lawyer is effective in the courtroom because she knows what the judge wants to hear and how to deliver your particular case so that the result that you seek makes sense to the family law judge. Effective divorce lawyers are effective because they have experience in front of family court judges. Different judges have different styles of running the courtroom.  They often have different opinions with respect to how the law should be interpreted.

The Divorce Lawyers at Griffith, Young & Lass have years of experience and have appeared at hundreds of hearings in front of all sitting judges. They practice exclusively in family law and attend regular conferences presented by San Diego Family Court judges.

Have Realistic Expectations

The most important thing to keep in mind when presenting a case to a family law judge is that your position must be realistic. Good judges have an ability to see through the smoke screen of a disingenuous argument and they do not appreciate it. Your impression on your family court judge at the very first hearing may have a lasting influence on rulings made in your case for many years to come and you need for that impression to be a good one.

An honest divorce lawyer looking out for your best interests will give you realistic expectations irrespective of your reaction to them. It is common for less experienced or dishonest divorce lawyers to give their clients unrealistic expectations just to milk the case for additional attorney’s fees. Don’t fall into this trap. It is usually a good idea to get a second opinion in a family law case if your attorney tells you that he can get you whatever you want.

Be Prepared

Preparation is the number one key to success in family court. This means ensuring that all of the information that you want the judge to hear and see is ready to be properly presented to the court. If you hire an attorney then she will know the proper procedures for the presentation of evidence. However, it is up to you to ensure that you let your lawyer know what you have to offer. Much of preparation includes meeting with your divorce lawyer and discussing the relevant issues and what kinds of evidence might be beneficial to your case. Relevant evidence could include documents, testimony, pictures, videos, etc.. Evidence is king in court.  Sending an attorney into court without evidence is like sending a soldier to war without a sword. The best policy is to give your lawyer everything that you have and let her decide what should be used and what should be left out.

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