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When divorce attorneys read between the lines

Licensed attorneys are professionals. Each of these individuals has been extensively trained in federal law and in the state law for whichever state he or she is licensed in. In addition, most attorneys receive education on numerous client-related matters that are not strictly legal, but which do tend to affect the outcome of cases. For example, attorneys who handle divorce matters are often taught to look between the lines of the stories their clients tell.

Why would an attorney not simply take a client’s story at face value? Family law matters are uniquely personal and can be uniquely emotional. As a result, many clients tend to either exaggerate or withhold certain aspects of their case. This exaggeration and withholding is often unintentional. It is simply very easy to let one’s emotions control any interaction during the divorce process. As a result, attorneys may make a few assumptions about your case, even as they jot down the details of your situation as you describe them.

For example, if you describe your spouse as an evil monster, your attorney may initially assume that you are stretching the truth. After all, few marriages are so one-sided. It is important to note however, that you attorney will likely drop this assumption when you prove that your spouse is exactly every bit the person you described. Attorneys may be trained to read between the lines a bit, in order to better advocate for their clients. However, this training does not prohibit them from altering their assumptions once they have witnessed proof of exactly what their clients have insisted upon all along.

Source: The Huffington Post, “3 Things You Need to Hear But Your Lawyer Isn’t Telling You,” Keri Kettle, Nov. 5, 2014

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