Need A Divorce Lawyer In Pgh PA
Q: I'm sure I'll get flamed for this, but can anyone recommend a good divorce lawyer in the Pittsburgh PA area. I have been looking on the net and in the phone book, but there are hundreds! I'd like to find one that won't be milking me for every cent I have (which isn't much), but I'm starting to think that a "good" lawyer goes hand in hand with "expensive". I have been trying to work out an agreement with the ex, but she is one stubborn $#@&%. I offered her half of my pension when I retire and $1,000 per month now, for the next few years. I only make about $60,000 per year and am about $100,000 in debt right now. Any help or advice would be appreciated. Right now all I have is this forum, and I have already been served with papers from her, saying I make more than enough to support her for life and pay for her lawyer (and half my pension and $1000 per month is no where near enough, according to her) Can you suggest me the solution?Hope to hear from you soon
A: -You didn't give a lot of details. But if your wife has not worked or she has worked at a job where she made significantly less than you and you were married 10 or more years, she will probbably get what she is asking for. If PA has permanent alimony, you can count on that being a centerpiece of her efforts. From what you say, it sounds like she has already made that decision. The design of equitable distribution laws is to identify one of the parties to a divorce as a victim of the other party and therefore worthy of excessive compensation. The divorce laws have created a breeding ground for dishonest and disloyal attorneys who's only motivation is dividing up your available assets between them. You will not be able to get out of paying an up front retainer and signing a contract. But don't give them anymore money without receiving a billing statement from them regularly. Their contract will probably say periodic billing statement. Make them write in a specific time period like 30 days. Otherwise periodic could mean every five years and they'll wait until they've racked up significant charges before they disclose them to you. Then they'll want a piece of your settlement and you will have to hire another attorney to fight them to prove their charges. keep a log of every phone call with time, date, and length. get written documentation of every action they perform on your behalf. Do not e-mail them unless you absolutely have too. Unless you want to pay $75 for everyone of them. Don't let them sit you in their office for hours talking about