when i can't afford a lawyer to have contact with husband

by Brennan Haley 10 min read

You may also be able to get your attorney's fees paid by your husband. You can also call your local bar association and ask if there is a volunteer lawyers program or any other free legal aid you could access. Another option is to start custody and support proceedings in family court yourself without an attorney.

If you can't afford an attorney and you don't qualify for a court appointed attorney, the judge can order your spouse to pay your attorney's fees if they are the monied spouse. You would have to make a motion for this and the monied spouse has the right to give an arguments as to why they should not pay.Mar 31, 2016

Full Answer

What if I Can’t afford a divorce lawyer?

Apr 29, 2020 · Here's how to find legal help if you can't afford a lawyer: Contact the city courthouse. Seek free lawyer consultations. Look to legal aid societies. Visit a law school. Contact your county or...

Do you need a lawyer if your spouse has a lawyer?

May 21, 2020 · Most lawyers charge a retainer of $3,500 to $10,000 per spouse, and this is only the first fee you will have to pay. Most people don’t have that kind of money to spare. Luckily, there are some ways you can get a divorce lawyer and get all the legal protection you deserve, even if you can’t afford a lawyer.

How can I get an attorney to represent my husband?

Sep 09, 2011 · If you are given the time, you or your attorney may wish to request an award of attorneys fees for your benefit pursuant to Section 2030 of the California Family Code. This statute is intended to 'level the playing field' and allow both spouses access to legal representation. Good luck... Helpful Unhelpful 0 comments John Hamilton Kibbler

Where can I find legal help if I can't afford a lawyer?

Mar 31, 2016 · If you can’t afford an attorney and your divorce case involves any custody, visitation or order of protection issues, may ask the judge to assign you a lawyer free of charge. This free lawyer will only be required to handle custody/visitation or order of protection issues, and you will have to represent yourself for the other parts (such as financial issues) of the …

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3 attorney answers

I agree with both of the previous answers. If your hearing is on 9/14, you might ask the court for a continuance so that you can explore the possibility of retaining counsel. Depending on what kind of hearing it is (you didn't specify), the court may grant such a request.

John Hamilton Kibbler

Do a search for local legal aid organizations that may be able to assist you or guide you. Like the previous attorney stated you have waited till the last minute but call. Also many attorneys will give a free consultation. You need to know what you are going into...

James Louis Miller

I'm not sure what you mean by "a motion for pending myself". I do not recommend that you represent yourself. You do not know the law, and the court must apply it as if you do. In fact, I recently responded to a post on Avvo by someone who did just what you are asking about (represented themselves while their spouse had an attorney).

How to get divorced if you can't afford an attorney?

Go to Family Court. If the only issues in your divorce are child custody and support, and you can’t afford an attorney, consider going to family court before starting a divorce action. It’s a little easier to represent yourself in family court, and once you get custody and support orders, you can proceed with an uncontested divorce.

What is a pro bono attorney?

A pro bono attorney is someone who will represent you without charging a legal fee. There are several problems with this, the biggest being that most lawyers, especially divorce lawyers, won’t work for free.

How to get a lump sum after divorce?

If you know that you will be getting a lump sum during or after the divorce, for example you and your spouse agree to sell the marital residence, it may be a good idea to borrow money to pay attorneys fees. This is a good option if there are substantial assets at stake that you can’t liquidate during the divorce. You can also use a credit card or borrow from friends and family as long as you will be able to pay them back.

Can I file for divorce without a lawyer?

If none of those options work for you, you have no choice but to represent yourself. If you are filing for an uncontested divorce, meaning your spouse will not disagree with anything, you can file without the help of a lawyer by using the uncontested divorce do-it-yourself program available on the NY State Courts website. If your case is contested and you have to represent yourself, you can find many tools and resources at the help centers located in the Supreme Courts of each NY county. You can also reach out to attorneys to see if they offer any services that will help you represent yourself. I offer a limited scope representation service for pro se litigants that includes a 90 minute consultation where we go over the details of your case and I give you tips on how to represent yourself in court. Contact me for more details. Divorce can be very complex, especially if you have children, property, own a business or have a pension or retirement fund. In order to get the best outcome, you need the assistance of the profession and should make every effort to hire one if you can. Hopefully some of these tips can help if you absolutely cannot afford an attorney. For more advice like this, access to free webinars and other tools and tips, join our email list now!

Can a divorce attorney take on a case?

While many attorneys are willing to provide pro bono services for relatively simple matters, divorces can be very time consuming and complex so it’s generally not a beneficial for the divorce attorneys to take on cases. A good place to start looking for pro bono representation is by contacting Legal Aid in your county.

Is divorce expensive?

Written By Joleena Louis, Esq. Getting a divorce is one of the most difficult and expensive things you will experience in your life. Like most serious issues, you know it’s best handled by an expert.

Do you have to pay for counsel fees if motion is denied?

This is to ensure that even if the motion for counsel fees is denied, they get paid for the time they spent on the motion.

What to consider when a judge is looking at support?

In most states, when a judge is looking at support, the top considerations are: what the paying spouse can afford and what the paying spouse needs. They try to be fair to everyone, but if your spouse does a good job hiding things, you will need a good lawyer.

What can a lawyer advise you on?

A good lawyer can advise you on the highest reasonable amount of support and property division to ask for, and also tell you the least you should accept. Take support: you may think a certain amount sounds great right now, but you have no idea how much the cost of living may skyrocket in the next few years.

Do you deserve to be set out on the curb with the kids for a pittance?

You do not deserve to be set out on the curb with the kids for a pittance so your ex-spouse can go party. Your contribution to the household was labor rather than money, but if your spouse had paid for a nanny, a household manager and all the other roles you filled, he or she would be a lot less wealthy now.

Do I have to pay a lawyer for a short hearing?

The lawyer will still require you to pay something – at least enough so you can cover the cost of this short hearing. But this will be a lot less than the overall fees. This also sometimes applies to modification suits (i.e., when your spouse sues to reduce the spousal or child support you were awarded in the divorce).

Can my spouse afford to hire a lawyer?

Your spouse can afford to hire the best legal team, and seems interested in seeing you in the poorhouse. You literally can’t afford to hire any lawyer. You don’t even have a credit card that’s strictly in your name. You helped put your spouse through school.

Can a stay at home mom have money?

You’re a stay at home mom or dad with a spouse who makes a fantastic living. You don’t actually have any money of your own – it’s all in joint accounts, under your spouse’s control. One day, your spouse announces that he or she has had enough of you and the kids too, so here are the divorce papers. Your spouse can afford to hire ...

Can a lawyer work for both of you?

Don’t let anyone tell you that lawyer will work out something fair for both of you – he or she can only work for one of you at a time, and lawyers have a legal obligation to be as aggressive in their client’s interests as they can.

What to do if your wedding ring doesn't work?

If that doesn't work, you search high and low for someone who needs work and is willing to take the case on the cheap. Call the bar association for a referral.

Can't afford divorce?

Many people feel that they simply can't afford a divorce because they don't have any savings and can't afford to hire a lawyer . There are ways to get a divorce, even if your funds are limited. You can use legal aid services or pro bono lawyers. There are other options to consider as well, as explained by the legal expert below:

Can I withdraw half of my divorce money?

He's going to fight me on the divorce and this is the only way I know to get the money for legal fees. Brette's Answer: It is generally considered acceptable to withdraw half of the funds in a joint account when separating. Good luck.

Can I file for divorce in Hawaii?

Brette's Answer: You need to check your state laws, but you should be able to file for divorce using online Hawaii court forms. He will have to be served. If he does not respond as required by state law, the case will proceed as uncontested.

Is anything you sell a marital asset?

Brette's Answer: Anything you sell would be a marital asset and subject to division. Your attorney would advise you first that you shouldn't sell anything until you have some kind of agreement, and that if you do, you should put the money into a bank account where you don't touch it during the proceedings.

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