When something goes wrong in your life — with your home, with your kids, with your car — your first thought might not be, “I need to call an attorney.” The problem might seem too small or you might think it seems too early to make it a legal issue. But many times in these situations you could benefit from consulting with an attorney. An attorney might put you at ease about a concern or help save you stress, time and money in the long run. Consider these six scenarios where calling an attorney could be helpful.
1. Your driver's license has been suspended.
Whether you have a lead foot and were caught going way too fast or were in an accident or ticketed for reckless driving, you can automatically have your license suspended for certain traffic violations, depending on your state’s laws.
Usually you are entitled to a hearing with a motor vehicle bureau officer before your license is taken away. The stakes are high, so you will want to attend and prepare ahead of time. Consulting with an attorney before the hearing can help you make the strongest argument for keeping your license. In some cases, you may even want to hire an attorney to represent you.
2. You have been arrested for driving under the influence (DUI)/driving while intoxicated (DWI).
Most states allow you to contact an attorney before you decide whether to take any tests (blood or breathalyzer) at the police station. If you don’t call an attorney at that point, reach out to one after you are released because you will want to hire someone to represent you.
3. Your child is being expelled from school.
Usually there is a process that school districts must follow, which can include a hearing where the student being expelled has a chance to present a defense if he or she wants to fight the expulsion. You may want to consult with an attorney before you and your child attend the hearing to help you create the strongest defense. If your student has been expelled already, you may want to talk with an attorney about your options and how this may affect your child’s records.
4. You are doing a remodeling project or home renovation and having trouble with the contractor.
If you continue to have issues and, even after many communication attempts, the problems persist, you should call an attorney. He or she can talk you through your options if the contractor is behind schedule, unwilling to repair poorly done work or other issues. To avoid problems in the future, you may want to consider calling an attorney to look over any contracts for work before signing them.
5. You are considering a divorce or legal separation from your spouse.
Many people wait to meet with an attorney until they have already decided to divorce and are ready to start paperwork. However, the earlier you can talk to an attorney, the better off you will be. An attorney can walk you through your options and help you avoid costly mistakes, such as leaving the home where your child resides.
6. You bought a new car that is having major issues, but the dealer is unresponsive.
Depending on what the issues are and if there have been any attempts on the dealer’s part to fix the problems, your car may fall under the “Lemon law” of your state that requires the dealer to take the car back and issue a full refund. Talking to a local attorney can give you an idea of whether your situation would fall under this or other laws.