Do I have to hire a lawyer?

When people have legal problems, they often call an attorney. That’s how law firms stay in business. But wait… this isn’t the 1970s. The world has changed a lot. Society has become more well informed, largely due to the Internet. People are constantly looking for ways to save money. And this has led to many folks doing things themselves when it is possible.

A big question people often have is, “Do I have to hire a lawyer?” And most of the time, the answer is, “No, you don’t.” There are many matters that people can handle themselves. They can look up laws and regulations online. They can download legal forms themselves. And when they have questions, are plenty of self-help resources.

One of the major ways I’ve seen people save money is with small claims court. People use it for lawsuits where it isn’t worth paying legal fees to an attorney. Small claims court requires the ability to fill out basic forms. And it requires some moderate skills with organizing and presenting records such as receipts. If you can clearly express your dispute in a few sentences before a judge, small claims court could be a big money saver.

Small claims courts often have caps on the amount that can be sued for… $5,000, $10,000, or higher in some regions. The person who wants to sue fills out a basic form with a description of the claim. After submitting the paperwork to the court, a hearing date is set. Things move quickly after that. Judges are busy. They want to see cases move along briskly.

People can also save money using do-it-yourself kits for things such as wills, living trusts, or setting up companies. There are books at your local library. There are websites with helpful instructions. And there are companies that specialize in helping do-it-yourselfers. Naturally, there are complex cases where the experience of an attorney is needed. If a divorce has difficult issues with child custody or distribution of assets, an attorney could be vital. In a large personal injury case, court procedure and strategy could be much more complex than small claims court.

But there are still many types of matters that people can handle themselves. And with all the good books, educational videos, and helpful websites out there, people will probably handle more things on their own. That might be bad for attorneys, but many would agree that it is a good thing for people looking to save some money.

Good Luck – Kendinize İyi Bakın

Avukat Timur Akpınar

(718) 224-9824

http://www.benimavukatim.com

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