When you need an attorney, it is likely due to something you didn’t anticipate having to deal with. To find the best person to represent your interests sufficiently, you should have at least a basic grasp of some of the types of law attorneys practice. Once you can find the category of law that you need, you can proceed with scheduling consultations to choose who fits your situation. Explore these four types of legal practices to find one that checks the boxes.
1. Family Law
If your family is going through changes, an attorney who practices family law may be able to help. This type of practitioner deals with things like divorce, adoption, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements. Retaining a family lawyer usually requires an upfront fee. This sum is deposited into an escrow account and used either at the onset of a proceeding or the end.
2. Estate Law
When it comes time to plan out what you want to happen to your property after your death, you may want to engage the services of an estate planning lawyer. This practice can help in creating trusts, wills and power of attorney documents. Estate planning attorneys also help handle end of life matters, such as living wills and advanced medical directives. Having these documents can help ensure doctors follow your wishes. These practitioners usually charge fees based on the kind of documents you need, the size of your estate and other factors.
3. Personal Injury Law
Accidents, whether they happen in the car or elsewhere, can often derail your plans for the short and long term. A personal injury attorney helps victims of negligent parties to recover financial compensation. These lawsuits can be time-consuming and costly; however, many attorneys operate on a back-end percentage of your total damage award. If a person dies as the result of another’s negligence, a personal injury attorney can file a wrongful death lawsuit. There are times when a personal injury case evolves into a wrongful death suit. The circumstances surrounding the event and the impact the death has on family can result in higher settlements.
4. Criminal Defense Law
Getting in trouble with the police is rarely planned. Nevertheless, if you get arrested, you will need the services of a criminal defense practice. These attorneys represent misdemeanor crimes up to capital offenses. As such, their fees vary based on the case. In some instances, criminal defense attorneys will do pro bono or free representation.
Finding the attorney, like injury lawyers from MartinWren, P.C., to fit your needs may take time. Give yourself plenty of time, so you don’t wind up hiring the wrong person for the job.