Why does a Rhode Island Divorce Lawyer want to see more uncontested RI Divorces? Doesn’t fighting and conflict in a Rhode Island divorce create a longer divorce and more fees for the attorney? The answer to the second question is “Yes.” So in light of that answer let me ask the first question again.
Why does a Rhode Island Divorce Lawyer want to see more uncontested RI Divorces if the lawyer is going to make less money? The answer is a simple one that most people wouldn’t expect to hear from a lawyer. Here it is. I care more about preserving families than I do about money.
So what preserves the family unit? Amicable/Uncontested Divorces do.
So what do YOU want in your divorce? Do you want to waste your time and money? Do you want to be bitter at your spouse? Do you really want to pay a Rhode Island lawyer thousands and thousands of your hard earned dollars for a divorce that goes on and on and on?
Or does it sound better to act like adults, be fair and reasonable with each other, pay as little as possible for your divorce, decide things for yourselves instead of letting lawyers and judges decide what happens in your life, save your kids from being torn to shreds emotionally if you have children, and then continue on with your life as quickly as you can with as much money and assets as possible?
The fact is that amicable divorces are physically and emotionally better for YOU and your family, they save you money, and they are easier to get through.
Uncontested divorces are absolutely, positively the best way to go in the Rhode Island family court system unless you must go through the contested process.
As a Rhode Island lawyer I’ve tried to convince other lawyers to strive for earlier more realistic settlements in divorces and diffuse conflict rather than capitalizing on it simply because it may be what the client wants and would cause the case to run on and allow the lawyer to make more money.
To date I seem to be one of the few RI Lawyers who advocates adamantly for amicable uncontested divorces because everything about uncontested divorces points to a more positive result for all involved.
Does every divorce end up being amicable? No. Why? Sometimes it is the unreasonableness of a party. Other times amicable divorces are prevented because one party has a mindset of “entitlement” to certain things as a result of contributions to the marriage, a spouse’s treatment during the marriage, a spouse’s conduct during the marriage, or the spouse’s emotional state of mind because of the manner in which the marriage ended. However, in my opinion 90% of these things could be resolved by a good attorney advocating for the preservation of the family unit simply by sacrificing some income.
In the end, many Rhode Island lawyers disagree with me about my divorce philosophy. I am considered less than practical and do not think like a lawyer because I simply don’t run with exactly a client tells me if it will make me more money.
Ultimately, however, life in my humble opinion is not about possessions and things. Life is about how we spend our time. This includes the relationships we build in our life, how we learn from each one and what we do with that knowledge. Money is a thing that provides for more things. While I can’t provide my services for free, my Rhode Island Divorce Coaching Program and the reduced rates I quote the vast majority of my clients with an emphasis placed on settling your case reasonably speak volumes about the fact that I do, in fact care about my clients.
When it comes to Rhode Island divorce, I’ve been there at a time before I was a lawyer and before I knew anything whatsoever about Rhode Island divorce and family law. I’ve been on every side of this coin. I’ve been in my own case with a lawyer, without a lawyer, without any knowledge of divorce acting as my own lawyer, acting as a lawyer for myself, and now having helped hundreds of people through the divorce process in the RI Family Court System.
I doubt any lawyer in RI has had the rare opportunity to be part of the Rhode Island family court system in so many ways at so many times. This gives me a unique perspective into virtually every case I have handled and helps me not only to understand my clients and their needs but allows me to represent my client’s better.
No matter what, I know it’s never easy. So no matter what I want you to have an amicable divorce without all the physical stress, financial drain, emotional drain, extensive lost time from your life that could be better spent.
A successful Rhode Island divorce isn’t about getting as many things for your client as you can. It’s about helping your client to a brighter tomorrow… whatever circumstances do that best!
