Legal Help
Do You Need a Lawyer?
There are certain situations where you certainly should hire a lawyer. For example, if you are charged with a crime, including a serious traffic offense such as drunk driving or reckless driving, or a felony that you have possibly committed (even if not entirely your fault), you definitely need a good lawyer. If you are sued in a civil case, especially if the lawsuit seeks a large amount of money, you also should have a lawyer. Any time your freedom, civil rights, or finances are threatened, you should have legal assistance.
Depending on the nature of the offense and whether jail time is a possible outcome, you have a constitutional right to have a lawyer represent you if you have been charged with certain crimes. That right is so important that the court will appoint a lawyer to help you if you cannot afford to pay for one. However if you elect to have the court appoint you one, the outcome is entirely up to them so this a worst-case scenario indeed.
There are a variety of other matters which may require legal assistance or where legal assistance would greatly improve your chances of protecting yourself. It may involve a lawsuit, such as a suit about custody of a child, or one about child support; a suit against you by someone claiming you owe him or her money; or a claim by the Internal Revenue Service that you owe back taxes. It may be that you believe you have a claim that would require filing a lawsuit, such as a claim of discrimination, a claim for injuries from an automobile accident or as a result of bad medical treatment or toxic waste dumping, or a claim that a service or product you purchased was defective. Or, you may have problems with creditors and think you need to declare bankruptcy.
Some types of legal matters do not necessarily involve going to court, but you still should consult a lawyer who is knowledgeable about handling your issue. For example, you may need a will, or you may be purchasing a home or a business and need assistance with the contract, or you may need to negotiate a separation settlement with your spouse. You may also need a lawyer if you want to become a resident or citizen of the United States.
The bottom line is – if you are in some type of legal trouble, get several opinions from good lawyers! This is good advice no matter who you ultimately decide to hire as your legal team.
