There are many different legal matters, for example, traffic tickets and armed robbery. These are both legal matters, but they are different from each other. The “accused” in both parties have very different situations and only one will need a lawyer to hand their defense.
It is crucial to have an idea in which instances you should get a lawyer and the times when you don’t need one. With that said, let’s dive down at cases in which we genuinely need legal assistance from a lawyer.
A Short Explanation of The Two Legal Categories
●Civil Law – All legal issues that do not involve criminal activity or breaking the law is covered by this area of law. In this category, one sues the other because they have been wronged in one way or another. In some cases, a type of compensation for that wrongdoing is what they want. Real estate transactions, legal agreements, divorces, child custody, and other matters where legal paperwork is necessary to protect all parties involved are also covered by the law.
●Criminal Law – Offenses of breaking the laws of a local, state, or federal government are covered by this area of law. Governmental entity lawyers are the one who handles the prosecution. The defense can be dealt with the help from a publicly appointed defender, which is usually cheap or free. You also have the option to hire a private defense attorney. There are two types, which are misdemeanors (small offenses) and felonies (more serious crimes) in criminal law.
Basic understanding of the law and regularly consulting it with a lawyer is essential if you find yourself facing the legal system for any reason. Remember that an honest one will provide a free consultation. They will tell you if you need a lawyer or not and point you in the direction of a lawyer who can best represent your case. The fee will be approximated upfront if the lawyer takes your case.
You Should Get Legal Advice When:
●You Experienced A Wrongful Termination or Discrimination in the Workplace – Both state and federal laws are involved here and the average person doesn’t have an idea here. Only a suitable lawyer that is professional in this type of law will be qualified to carry your case into court. You should be certain that you will have a very solid legal representation because the other parties will probably have one, too.
●A Nasty or Complex Divorce – there is no real need for a lawyer when couples agree on all of the details of separation. However, if there are issues like savings, support, property, investments, debt, and child custody arrangements, you are a fool if you neglect to get legal representation. Finalizing a divorce is very binding and they can only be changed by going back to court. If you have a good lawyer upfront, all of this can be avoided.
●Driving Under The Influence – DUI has become a serious charge and there are many consequences like jail time, fines, affecting your license, or any combination of these three. If this is your first offense, a good lawyer can meet with the prosecutor and get the charges reduced. Never go to court without a lawyer unless you want to be charged a maximum penalty.
●Lawsuits – You need a lawyer if you are being sued and the consequences of losing the case may result in the loss of a property or a good deal of money. Having a good negotiator on your side is good, too.
●A Car Accident with Injury – If you are involved in an accident but it wasn’t your fault, don’t settle your claim with the other guy’s insurance company. Only seasoned attorneys are familiar with the laws of reasonable compensation rates.
●Drug Charges – Those who hire a private lawyer always fare better than those who do not or those who take a public defender. When a public defender is fully loaded, they usually recommend doing a plea bargain. However, this will be worse than what a private attorney could get you.
●Wills and Trusts – Saving your family from disputes and legal issues after you die is important. Setting up your will and trust in advance with a reputable attorney is recommended.
●Criminal Charges – It is scary to face any criminal charges, especially if you don’t know anything about it. Immediately get a lawyer for the protection of your rights and so that you are defended as well, guilty or not.
●Denial of Workman’s Comp or Disability Claim – Get a lawyer and they will take the fee out of the settlement. This is important if you are thinking about the up-front fees when dealing with lawyers.
●Business Startups – Don’t navigate all of the legal requirements alone. You need to be protected and lawful. Find a lawyer who specializes in business law.
●Bankruptcy – They will want payment upfront if you can’t get one without a lawyer.
Cases When You Do Not Need A Lawyer
●Traffic Tickets – You only need to pay the fine and get over it.
●Small Claims Court – If it does not involve large sums of money, this belongs to civil disputes.
●Lawsuits That You Do Not Want to Contest – If the one suing you and you already know what they want and you are willing to pay for the amount, you can appear in court without an attorney.
Based on Materials from Lifehack
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