Why do Solicitors Make Things Worse in Family Court?
- PAPA
- Jul 20
- 7 min read
Navigating the family court system can be both complex and emotionally draining.
Many individuals automatically seek solicitors to help manage issues like child custody and divorce settlements.
However, it's crucial to ask whether hiring solicitors truly benefits the parties involved, especially when considering the well-being of children.
At PAPA we receive hundreds of messages asking "why did my solicitor do this (or that)?" and "why do solicitors always make things worse"?.
In this article, we will explore why solicitors can complicate family court cases, how their interests may conflict with those of their clients, the benefits of self-representation, and how tools like PAPA Plus can significantly improve your chances in family court.
If you are a parent currently going through family court, it is highly recommended that you join PAPA Plus and make use of our courses and other resources, including PAPA AI.
If you require direct assistance with your case, you can also book a call with PAPA
The Impact of Solicitors on Family Court Cases
Solicitors are meant to assist in legal matters, but their involvement can often lead to more problems.
High legal fees, lengthy court processes, and a lack of personal connection can create tension between the parties involved.
For example, a study shows that clients with solicitors often take 50% longer to resolve their cases compared to those who represent themselves.
While many solicitors claim to aim for swift resolutions, their actions can sometimes result in more disputes, causing added stress for clients.
The adversarial nature of family law can intensify emotions, making it difficult to reach agreeable solutions.
Furthermore, some solicitors may prioritise their financial gain, prolonging cases to increase their billable hours.
The longer a case drags on, the more strained the relationships become, often negatively affecting the children involved.
How Legal Representatives Act in Their Own Interest
The family law sector can appear profit-driven.
Although some solicitors are ethical, many behave in ways that do not favour their clients' best interests.
Here are a few key concerns:
Billing Practices: Hourly billing can lead solicitors to recommend unnecessary actions just to increase their hours. For instance, a client might end up paying hundreds or even thousands more due to suggested motions that do not benefit their case.
Complex Language and Procedures: The unnecessary legal terminology used by solicitors can easily confuse clients. This often leads individuals to rely too heavily on their lawyers and neglect to advocate for themselves.
Pressure and Persuasion: Some solicitors pressure clients into accepting settlements that may not be in their best interest. Clients might feel overwhelmed and might not realise there are other options available that could achieve a better outcome.
These factors can lead to family court experiences that detract from what should be the main focus—protecting the children’s welfare.
The Case for Self-Representation
With the challenges associated with solicitors, more people consider self-representation as a valuable alternative.
Choosing to represent yourself comes with several distinct benefits:
Understanding Your Family Dynamics Better
Self-representation allows you to utilise your intimate knowledge of your family’s unique situation.
No one understands the emotional and relational factors at play in your family as well as you do.
This understanding can help you push for outcomes that truly benefit your children.
Cost Efficiency
Hiring a solicitor can lead to steep financial costs.
For instance, average legal fees for family law cases can range from £150 to £400 per hour.
By representing yourself, you avoid these expenses, freeing up resources for your children’s needs or other vital support systems.
Greater Control
Taking charge of your case means you can make decisions that best align with your family's values.
This empowerment allows you to focus on finding resolutions rather than escalating conflicts.
Expedited Process
Usually cases without legal representation are resolved much faster, with solicitors and barristers slowing down cases the majority of the time.
Time is critical in family law cases so it's usually beneficial to represent yourself and not have to deal with the delays associated with solicitors etc.
Enhanced Communication
By speaking for yourself in court, you can authentically present your concerns and proposals.
This personal touch can resonate more with judges than formal arguments presented by solicitors.
Advocating for Your Child's Best Interests
The welfare of the child is the most critical aspect of family court cases.
Self-representation allows parents to focus on advocating for decisions that truly support their children’s emotional and psychological well-being.
By minimising the involvement of intermediaries, parents can foster a cooperative atmosphere.
This collaborative approach can lead to improved relationships that benefit everyone, especially the children involved.
PAPA Plus and AI Solutions
While self-representation has benefits, it can feel daunting.
Fortunately, technological advancements offer helpful resources like PAPA Plus, a platform designed to support parents in family law matters.
What is PAPA Plus?
PAPA Plus is a comprehensive resource, including PAPA Ai resource that guides users through family court complexities.
It provides 1-2-1 help, educational courses and essential tools to improve the chances of a successful outcome.
By merging artificial intelligence with practical knowledge, PAPA Plus helps parents advocate effectively for their children.
Benefits of Using PAPA Plus
Tailored Guidance: PAPA Plus offers personalised insights based on your specific situation, helping you navigate the legal landscape with confidence.
Educational Courses: The platform includes courses on various family law topics, equipping you with the knowledge necessary for effective self-representation.
Community Support: Users can connect with a community of parents facing similar issues, providing opportunities for sharing experiences and encouragement.
User-Friendly Design: The easy-to-use interface ensures that anyone can access crucial information and resources, simplifying complex legal knowledge.
Outcome-Focused Resources: PAPA Plus emphasises practical strategies and actionable advice, making a direct impact on the outcome of your family court case.
Supports the Movement: An added benefit of being a PAPA Plus member is that your membership contributes to the growth and sustainability of the movement. Each Plus membership serves as a donation which helps grow the PAPA awareness efforts and improve the resources available.
Perks and Discounts: Users can also enjoy discounts and offers on PAPA Supply items such as clothing, awareness materials, stickers and more. PAPA are also working with professionals and businesses on creating a Plus member discount with participating entertainment and food venues as well as therapists and counsellors.
If you're already going through the family court process or planning to, then joining PAPA Plus is essential.
Not only will PAPA Plus help you but it also helps us, as each PAPA Plus membership helps us to fund our awareness campaigns, so thank you to everyone who has joined, your support is massively appreciated.
The more PAPA Plus members we have, the more we can grow the movement and ensure that change happens for all the innocent victims of parental alienation.
Moving Forward
Hiring solicitors for family court cases can complicate disputes due to conflicting interests and the contentious nature of legal proceedings.
While legal professionals have their advantages, families may benefit from considering self-representation, allowing better control and a clearer understanding of their familial dynamics.
Incorporating resources like PAPA Plus can further enhance the self-representation process, providing valuable support and education to help parents advocate effectively for their children.
Ultimately, keeping the child’s welfare as the primary focus is essential in family court matters.
By choosing the right approach—whether through self-representation or leveraging innovative tools—parents can work towards the best possible outcomes for their families.
In need of help or support?
If you are an alienated parent reading this article and feel you are in need of help and support then please make sure to join PAPA today by signing up here on our website.
This will give you access to our community support forum as well as our Resource Centre, which includes downloadable guides and on-demand courses to help through the process of being alienated and regaining contact with your children.
We also have our Facebook support group that you can join here.
Our Facebook support group has several dedicated chat rooms where you can get immediate support.
If you are a member of PAPA you can also send us a message here on the website and we will try to get back to you as soon as possible but please bear in mind, we have hundreds of messages weekly so it may take us a while to get back to you.
We are currently prioritising PAPA Plus members due to high demand.
Regardless of circumstance you are not alone and at PAPA we are here to support you.
Become a PAPA Ambassador
If you like our resources, articles and support networks and agree with what we stand for then why not get involved and help us push PAPA further by joining our Ambassador Program?
We would love for you to join us and help spread awareness for parental alienation and all of the dynamics involved so that we can continue to help parents and children towards a better future.
Our Ambassador Program allows you to grow your involvement with the cause by earning points on your membership.
To earn points we have created rewards for actions such as completing one of our courses, booking a case review, or ordering supply.
We will be adding new rewards and actions to our Ambassador Program as we continue to grow our awareness efforts.
We want our members to feel rewarded for their support as we continue to look for new ways to improve the lives of those impacted by parental alienation.
You can also become a PAPA Plus member, which will give you exclusive access to even more help and resources.
Each PAPA Plus membership makes a huge difference to the cause as it really helps us to improve our services and our awareness campaigns.
Proceeds from memberships and supply allow us to push the cause much further towards raising awareness and improving our services and resources so that we can continue to help more and more parents and children.
Thank you for reading and for your continued support of PAPA and our mission to end parental alienation.
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