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8. If your case actually goes to trial, your lawyer should fully prepare you. If possible, you should visit the courthouse and even the courtroom in advance. Your lawyer should review the questions he himself plans to ask and alert you as to what to expect during cross-examination. |
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One attorney we know even tells her clients how to dress on the day they will be in court. (Go for the schoolteacher look, she likes to say, and leave the jewelry and fur at home.) |
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9. Throughout your case, your attorney should give you some sense of whether the law supports your position. No attorney worth her weight will guarantee you a victory, but a lawyer knowledgeable in the field should be able to tell you whether there is a basis for your position and what is likely to happen if the case is tried. |
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10. If your case ends with a defeat at trial, or if there are any defeats along the way (say you lose a motion when the judge denies your request for something), your lawyer should be able to provide you with sound advice about whether to appeal. |
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Stepping Over the Line: When Your Attorney Has Violated Professional Codes |
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What shouldn't you expect? |
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Although your lawyer may know more about you than your accountant, your shrink, or even your spouse does, it's probably not a good idea to become drinking buddies. You want your lawyer to make objective decisions, not to kowtow to your demands because you've become best friends. |
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In general, it's probably not a good idea for your lawyer to meet your kids. If the children are teenagers and their testimony is essential, then of course your attorney must meet them. Otherwise, it's best not to bring them to the office to meet your lawyer. The children will feel as though they're being made to take sides. And your attorney runs the risk of being called as a witness in the case by virtue of his or her contact with the kids. (If your lawyer does become a witness, he or she will no longer be able to represent you.) |
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Your attorney should not come on to you in any way whatsoever. (Agreeing to discuss your case on a Friday night at a fancy restaurant is not a good idea.) It doesn't matter if the attraction is mutual. If it's real, it can wait until your case is over. |
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Your attorney should not be in contact with your spouse if he or she has an attorney, unless his or her attorney has agreed to such contact. |
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