Lawyers are expensive. When you hire a lawyer, you often pay more than you can afford. Given what you pay for that person’s expertise, it is helpful to your case to listen to your attorney and take his/her advice.
Why do lawyers cost so much? There are many reasons lawyers are so expensive. First they spend several years in law school. I know my years in law school were some of the toughest with the majority of my time spent studying. And if I wasn’t studying, I was sleeping. There wasn’t much time for anything other than going to class, researching, writing, reading, and studying. Everything else in your life is on hold to become a lawyer.
When a lawyer gives you a piece of advice, it is backed by knowledge of the law, years of experience, knowledge of the courts, and how the courts handle situations similar to yours. Two of the hardest things to learn when studying the law is that there is nothing black and white and the law isn’t always fair or logical.
Another reason lawyers aren’t cheap is that the law is ever-changing. In Texas, the Legislature meets every two years. And with that comes new laws and revisions of existing laws. Further, every law is subject to interpretation by the courts. As a result, appeals courts and the Supreme Court of the State of Texas spend their time hearing cases that have been appealed and interpreting the law based on the facts of each case. Because every case is different, the application of a statute in one case will produce one result while applying that same law in another case will produce yet a different result. It is the responsibility of your lawyer to recognize the subtle difference(s) from one case to another to determine what he or she believes will happen in your case or how the law should be applied in your situation. Law school teaches you to “think like a lawyer” and it is that thought process that guides your lawyer in counseling you about your case.
When a lawyer practices law in front of the same judges every day, he/she learns how those judges react and rule in certain situations. Although a lawyer can never predict what will happen in your case with absolute certainty, that lawyer can get pretty close in some instances based on experience in your court.
Using her knowledge of the law, knowledge of the courts, and experience, a lawyer will give you advise that will best help your case and structure your case to give you the best possible outcome. That advice is rooted in a great deal of knowledge.
Because you spend so much on your lawyer, it is crucial you trust that person. Your lawyer may very well give you advice you either do not agree with or do not understand. If you do not understand what your attorney asks of you then by all means ask for her reasoning behind it. I am certain there is a specific reason for that advice that will be of benefit to your case. If you choose not to follow your lawyer’s advice, you have to expect legal consequences that will harm your situation.
If for whatever reason you do not trust your attorney, find one you do trust.
There are a multitude of factors that lead to an attorneys advice: statutes, case law, the court’s tendency given the facts of your case, and/or mitigation of facts that may harm your case. Every single situation or case is different. Your situation may seem identical to your friend’s situation and in your friend’s situation she did not have to do what your lawyer is asking you to do. But you may be in a different court or there may be some difference in your situations that may seem subtle or meaningless to you but has great significance. Your lawyer is going to spot that.
I recommend making sure you understand exactly what your attorney is asking of you so you understand the meaning or reasoning behind it. If after hearing your attorney’s purpose of his/her request, you do not trust your lawyer, then find a lawyer you do trust. A good lawyer is not going to tell you everything you want to hear. A good lawyer is going to tell you everything you need to hear.
Ami J. Decker
www.famlawtex.com
