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Divorce refers to the dissolution or the legal end of a marriage. Every state has its own legal requirements governing when a divorce may be granted. These legal requirements may include a residency requirement, grounds or a reason for the divorce, among others.

The grounds for divorce may vary from being fault-based and no-fault based. All these requirements vary from state to state. Certain exceptions like 'Irreconcilable Differences' and 'Irretrievable Breakdown' are common no-fault grounds for divorce in almost all states. Your divorce could be the most important financial decision in life, as well as one of the most nerve wrecking. In such a circumstance, the key person who can see you through this is a divorce lawyer.

The divorce lawyer helps you in making extremely important financial and emotional decisions like child custody, property divisions etc. You must choose a lawyer well versed and specializing in Family Law.

You can look for a good lawyer by asking around, consulting your friends, relatives and acquaintances. A divorce lawyer with references will be more helpful than the one who is completely unknown to you and all people around.

When you first meet the lawyer, give all case facts. The fee quoted by the person will be a rough approximate as the amount of legal work involved is not very clear. Usually, they charge by the hour, and a retainer fee as an advance payment may be desired by the lawyer. You are at liberty to interview a few lawyers before choosing one to represent you in court.

To be on the safe side, it's a good idea to enquire from the lawyers the following facts:

' The relevant experience he/she has in Family Law and number of years of practice in this field.
' Steps involved in the divorce process as well as expected time frame and legalities involved.
' Filing fee and the fee that any additional legal assistants employed will ask for.
' Inquire about the Retainer Agreement policy of the lawyer/firm.
' Billing cycle of the lawyer.

A good lawyer will answer all queries, and will try to address any concerns that you may have about legal implications or your case in general.

A good divorce lawyer:

' Will always be prepared for all your hearings.
' Will know exactly what your expectation from the case is.
' Will not be able to win all hearings.
' May not be able to answer your calls 24*7*365.

Once you and your spouse start the proceedings, do not sign any paper for your partner without express knowledge of your divorce lawyer. Litigations and negotiations are little subjective so ask your lawyer about his/her policy in this matter.

A good divorce lawyer is invaluable to your case, so you should choose one carefully. Also, once your case starts, do not change lawyers unless it is absolutely necessary as this may also harm your case. In case you are looking to change divorce lawyers, make sure that you get all information from the previous divorce lawyer such as who is the judge, necessary papers etc, so a smooth transition is possible. Once you place your trust in a lawyer, do it completely and assist him/her. After all, it is your own life.