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Communication, Control, Planning, Privacy
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Communication
The divorce process is stressful. Good
communication with your attorney can help you to manage that stress. You want to know that your attorney is listening to you
and understands your short term and long term goals for yourself and your family. If you call your attorney, you expect a
return phone call within a reasonable period of time. Finally, you need the reassurance
of knowing that you are kept up to date on court filings, letters and phone calls within the process itself. Ask Paula about her commitment to maintaining good communication with her clients.
Control
Many people who are going through the divorce
process have never worked with an attorney before. The divorce process may be intimidating particularly if you are being exposed
for the first time to legal terminology and court procedures. Unfortunately, when you and your spouse cannot agree, the court
may have to make decisions for you. Paula can help you understand the process so that you can identify options, such as collaborative
law, that may help you regain control.
Planning
Divorce is a time
of transition. Your family’s income and assets are being divided to provide for two separate households. You may be
moving or starting a new job during the process. Or maybe you are entering the job market for the first time after many years
of not working. You may be dealing with emotional pain of the losses you are
experiencing or having difficulty adjusting to all of these transitions. Paula
can help you plan for the next stage in your life by identifying professionals who will work with you to address your concerns,
whether those concerns are financial, vocational or therapeutic.
Privacy
Your divorce is
no one’s business but your own. Ideally, you should have the ability to decide when and what you disclose to others
about what you are going through. The good news is that your communications with your attorney are governed by attorney client
privilege so that, as a general rule, they will be disclosed only with your permission. The bad news is that the divorce proceedings,
after filing of the initial complaint, are public. Currently, in Allegheny County, many pleadings and
other documents filed in a divorce action are part of the public record of all court proceedings that is filed online with
the prothonotary. If privacy is important to you, Paula can identify strategies,
particularly the use of collaborative law, to minimize the extent to which the details of your private life are contributed
to the public record.
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PAULA HOPKINS, ATTORNEY AT LAW, 437 GRANT STREET, SUITE 1801, 412-288-8880, PH@PAULAHOPKINS.COM
The information on this site is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for legal advice.
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