When you are looking to hire a divorce attorney in Grand Rapids, Mi, or any city for that matter, there are several distinct advantages to hiring a local attorney. The first advantage is that a local attorney will have special knowledge of what the tendencies of the Judges and Referees are in the county the attorney practices in. It is critical to understand the Judge and the Referee who are presiding over the decisions in your case.

This is so important because the top divorce lawyers in Grand Rapids, Michigan are quite familiar with what the Judges like to see in an approach to a case and what they do not like to see. Familiarity also helps the attorney guide you on what tendencies the Judge has with respect to child custody, parenting time, and child support.

It is important to know where you stand on these issues so you can take proactive steps to improve your case and solidify your position on critical issues that effect your future moving forward with respect to custody and related issues. Understanding the Judge’s outlook on parenting time is of great importance because it will assist you in setting your expectations and having a realistic outlook on what can or cannot be done on how parenting time looks.

Spousal support or alimony is another hot button topic that you need to be prepared for and the best way to be prepared is to have an attorney represent you who understands the philosophy of each respective Judge when it comes to the topic of alimony. There is also great value in understanding the Judge’s position on child support and related financial obligations such as child care, extra-curricular activities, health insurance, health care expenses that are not covered by health insurance, as well as a whole host of issues that have such a great impact on your financial future.

Finally, a local attorney can help you with the important aspects of how the Friend of Court works, how the support staff for the Judges like to see things done and how the clerk’s office likes to see things done. It is remarkably important that you have an attorney who is familiar with all of these people who work in the court system. Having an attorney who understands these people and how they like things done is so important to your case. The attorney you hire should have a clear understanding of just how important it is to treat the court staff with respect and courtesy, and for your attorney to have good relationships with all of the court staff. This cannot be understated. The last thing you want is an attorney who is rude to court staff and doesn’t have the common sense to promote a positive image for themselves and their clients.

A good rule of thumb is that having an attorney who is one county over from their home county is not a big deal. Most attorneys are familiar with at least two or three of their surrounding counties and there is not much to lose in terms of familiarity with the Judges and good relationships with court staff. All things considered, the best divorce lawyers in Grand Rapids, Mi would agree that hiring a local attorney certainly brings about a relationship advantage and a familiarity factor that all clients would benefit from when hiring an attorney.

A good rule of thumb is that having an attorney who is one county over from their home county is not a big deal. Most attorneys are familiar with at least two or three of their surrounding counties and there is not much to lose in terms of familiarity with the Judges and good relationships with court staff. All things considered, the best divorce lawyers in Grand Rapids, Mi would agree that hiring a local attorney certainly brings about a relationship advantage and a familiarity factor that all clients would benefit from when hiring an attorney.

We offer free consultations and we serve our clients in Grand Rapids as well as the surrounding West Michigan communities. Please call us to set up a consultation at 616-942-6404.