Domestic abuse can be both physical and mental. In the United States, many of the states have a law designed in such a way so that the victim of domestic abuse can obtain a restraining order or a protection order without the help of a family lawyer.
But if the case involves children or has issues pertaining to immigration, and if the abuser has a strong lawyer to protect them, then you may need the help of a good
domestic abuse lawyer to make sure you are treated fairly.
How Can a Lawyer Help You?
Your lawyer extends as an advocate and represents your interests. They make sure that strategic decisions are made throughout the case with the help of evidence and testimonies on behalf of you. But in the end, it all comes down to you to make a decision about settlement.
A lawyer on your side goes into much more details about the best possible outcomes and choices in a trial and settlement for you to choose. And if at any time you feel that a lawyer is not treating you fairly, or lacks the proper knowledge to fight your case, you can always talk to them or hire a new lawyer. This is why it is so
important to pick a lawyer carefully.
What Should You Ask Your Lawyer?
Once you have found the right lawyer to represent you, do not hesitate to ask them a few questions. They are there to help you after all. So make sure to conduct a full interview with them and find out about their past experience in domestic abuse cases and explain your case to them clearly.
Make sure you outline your concerns and tell them your goals for your case. After they have heard about your case, you should ask them about their strategy to help you. What will they do to accomplish your goals? How are they going to prepare for the case? Will they have any other member from their law firm that will represent you? How many domestic abuse cases have they worked on previously? How many of them did they successfully defended? What decisions did the judge usually make on the cases they defended? How do they intend to protect your children?
Make sure to write these questions down on a piece of paper and have them ready when you are talking to the lawyer. This way you will be able to focus primarily on the issues at hand and the lawyer will better be able to understand what you really want.
What If You Are Unable to Afford Legal Help?
In some cases, people are unable to afford the fee of a lawyer. But the good news is that if you are domestically abused, you are already eligible for legal aid, sometimes which is free or low-cost. A lawyer can also refer you to another of his colleagues who may take less fee to represent you or may even provide
free legal aid.
For best results, check with
domestic abuse organizations for resources. They actively help the victims of domestic abuse to fight their case in the court with as much free support as possible. Sometimes they even have their own lawyers that may represent you for free.