Not every Rhode Island divorce requires each party, or either party to hire a Rhode Island divorce lawyer to represent them.
I've thought about this divorce concept for more than five (5) years now. Every week I get calls about Rhode Island divorces. Most of the time people are shopping to either free advice or an attorneys' rate for a simple uncontested Rhode Island divorce.
Why is that? It's because money is the big issue with people these days and it doesn't take a Rhode Island lawyer to know that an uncontested divorce is going to cost less than a contested or bitter divorce. So people just use their common sense and ask for the rate for a simple, uncontested divorce even if they really don't understand what it means for a divorce to be truly "uncontested."
But is asking for a Rhode Island lawyer's rate for their divorce as a simple or uncontested divorce just about the money? Possibly not.
Some attorneys in Rhode Island find this kind of phone lawyer shopping offensive. I can understand that. After all, divorces aren't a one size fits all thing. Or at least they shouldn't be. After all, since no two people are EXACTLY alike in the world then it makes sense that now two divorces which involve two people are never EXACTLY alike, right? Isn't it only common sense?
Yet let's remove the Rhode Island divorce cost factor from the picture. Let's assume it doesn't exist at all. What is another reason for asking any question about a simple, uncontested or amicable Rhode Island divorce? Could it be because the person wants to be amicable, or simple, or uncontested? Sure.
So imagine you are an attorney. A person calls you with questions about a simple, amicable, uncontested Rhode Island divorce. If you leave out the cost of the divorce, you might actually have a person on the phone who wants to be amicable and not have a contested divorce. Consider it for a moment.
You are an attorney and you may now have 1/2 of the divorcing couple in a friendly position who wants to be agreeable and resolve the divorce. Is it possible that basically 50% of the job of getting to friendly/nominal divorce hearing is already present? It is absolutely possible. In fact, if the person doesn't have that much money and he or she is attorney shopping for the most affordable lawyer on an amicable Rhode Island divorce, doesn't it make sense that the cost factor is also pushing the person to be amicable and keep the divorce uncontested? It not only makes sense, it is highly probable.
So why do I see our Rhode Island Family Court divorce calendars filled with cases that people aren't resolving by the Friendly Court Hearing Date (aka Nominal Hearing Date)?
I've watched and considered this interesting Rhode Island divorce phenomenon for over a year now. Now while I do represent people with more complicated cases, I coach even more people to manage their own divorces, represent themselves, work out agreements with their own spouses, and even co-parent better.
There are two factors I have identified.
One factor is when one spouse who can't or won't come to terms with a divorce. This could be due to the spouse being unreasonable, mental health issues, or pure bitterness and anger.
The other factor is the involvement of one or more attorneys involved in the case who create conflict in the divorce sometimes knowingly, sometimes unknowingly.
To be sure divorces can be emotional. They are too susceptible of tipping from a simple uncontested divorce to a contested, drawn out divorce. Too much of it is seen these days. Some days it literally pervades the atmosphere in the courtroom.
In short, I created coaching to help people and not to put anything even remotely amounting to a substantial amount of money in my pocket. Certainly I'm no saint, I still have to charge for what I do or frankly I won't be eating or I'll be freezing during the winter.
Yet, divorce in our economy right now appears to be on the rise and while I certainly won't profess that in any way I stop it from happening, I felt I had to do something with my skills to make it easier.
So Rhode Island Divorce Coaching was created by me as a solo practicing Rhode Island lawyer. I focus my entire practice on divorce and family law but I will certainly tell you that my mother raised me well. She raised me to help others when I can, to fight against what's wrong without violence, and to do what is right when I can.
So here I am doing what I can. I'm not in a position to represent people or coach for free but I'm doing what I can. When people come to me for representation I may do so, but if I feel that there is any chance that they can properly make it through their divorce using my coaching sessions, then I explain the difference and recommend the coaching when appropriate.
One Rhode Island Divorce Coaching session is only $135. I provide a full hour of time. During your session I learn about you, your marriage, your family, your assets, your debts, your income, your education and factors in your family that may be considered in a divorce. I also the take time to explain to you important aspects of Rhode Island Divorce Process and it's Procedures, important Rhode Island Divorce laws (aka RI Domestic Relations Laws); uncontested divorce proceedings, contested divorce proceedings, the different things the Family Court will want to hear about and what you should discuss with your spouse and answers to your most important questions and concerns. Lastly, I help you determine whether you truly need a lawyer to represent you or not and discover what might work best for you based upon your personality and what we have discussed during our confidential coaching session.
That's quite a bit to cover for only $135. One kind woman came to me for a single session after going through three (3) lawyers, over an eight (8) month period of time to the tune of about $7,500 and had this nice statement to make about my service.
"I wish I had found you sooner Chris. It's sad to find out that what I learned from you in one hour was more than I learned from all my the other attorneys I hired for the past 8 months."
This was perhaps the best unsolicited testimonial I could have ever received. For sake of confidentiality and privacy I do not reveal the names of my clients with testimonials because I work with them in the background and I respect their privacy. However, I can state without hesitation that this is a verbatim quote from an actual client.
Many clients have represented similar sentiments, compliments and testimonials.
Imagine how much help I can be to you and the damage I might prevent if you met with me just one time. Isn't it worth $135.00 to be informed about what happens, be prepared for what might come, and peal away the veil of mystery that causes the fear and anxiety associated with divorce proceedings.
I'm just a call away and I look forward to helping you!