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Paralegals are the backbone of your legal journey. They ensure that every aspect of your case runs smoothly and efficiently. Paralegals provides a crucial supportive role in a family law case by assisting attorneys and clients with various tasks, helping to streamline the legal process, and ensuring that important details are handled efficiently. 

While a paralegal cannot provide legal advice or represent clients in court, they provide valuable assistance in many aspects of family law cases. Here’s how a paralegal can support your family law case:

1. Case Preparation and Organization

• Document Drafting: A paralegal may assist in drafting or preparing legal documents related to your case, such as petitions, motions, discovery forms, and proposed orders. They ensure that these documents are accurate, complete, and in compliance with court rules. The paralegal’s hourly billing rate is also significantly lower than the attorney allowing for the clients at the Denis Law Group to save money on important items that need to be completed. 
• Filing Documents: Paralegals handle the filing of documents with the court, ensuring that deadlines are met and the necessary paperwork is submitted on time to the court and provided to the opposing side timely.
• Case Organization: They organize case files, evidence, and legal research materials in a manner that is easy to navigate, which helps the attorney to work more efficiently.
• Client Communication:  They are often the go-to in the firm to obtains updates on your case, the person you will work with in organizing your case, clarifying procedural questions and helping the Denis Law Group clients feel supported in this legal journey.

2. Discovery and Evidence Gathering

• Discovery Assistance: A paralegal may help with the discovery process, which involves gathering information and documents from you and the opposing party. This can include preparing discovery requests (interrogatories, requests for production of documents, etc.) and ensuring that the responses are received and properly reviewed from you and from the opposing party. 
• Document Management: They assist in managing evidence such as financial documents, communications, and records related to children’s welfare (e.g., school records, medical records). They may also organize exhibits and prepare evidence for hearings or trials.
• Witness Preparation: Paralegals may assist with preparing witnesses for depositions or trial by organizing relevant documents and helping witnesses understand the process.

3. Client Communication and Support

• Client Intake and Interviews: Paralegals often conduct client interviews to gather information about the case that the attorney will need. They may also follow up with clients to collect additional information or documentation.
• Ongoing Communication: While they cannot offer legal advice, paralegals can relay messages between the client and the attorney, keeping the client informed about the progress of the case, upcoming deadlines, and required actions. At the Denis Law Group we encourage our clients to send us messages either through text, their Mycase Portal or email so that the attorney can dictate needed information quickly through the paralegal.
• Preparing Clients for Court: Paralegals may prepare clients for hearings or mediation by reviewing the case details, explaining what to expect, and helping to organize any materials needed for court or answering procedural questions.

4. Legal Research

• Paralegals may assist in conducting legal research to support the family law case. This can include researching relevant laws, statutes, and previous case law related to custody, child support, divorce, alimony, and other family law matters.
• They may also research local court rules and procedures to ensure that filings are done correctly and in accordance with the specific court’s requirements.
• Paralegal also research the opposing party often through the social media outlets helping the clients prove their version of the facts. 

5. Financial Support in Divorce and Custody Cases

• In cases involving financial disputes, such as divorce or child support, paralegals may assist in gathering financial documents (e.g., tax returns, pay stubs, bank statements, etc.) and organizing them for use in negotiations or hearings.
• They can also help in compiling a list of assets and liabilities to ensure an accurate division of property in a divorce case.

6. Mediation and Settlement Assistance

• If your family law case involves mediation or settlement negotiations, a paralegal may assist by organizing settlement offers, communicating with the opposing party’s attorney to set up mediation or sending proposals, and preparing any documents necessary to support settlement discussions.
• They may also help ensure that any agreements reached during mediation are properly documented and filed with the court.

7. Preparing for Trial (If Necessary)

• Trial Preparation: If the case goes to trial, a paralegal plays an essential role in trial preparation. This includes organizing exhibits, preparing witness lists, and assembling trial notebooks for the attorney.
• Courtroom Assistance: Although they cannot represent clients in court, paralegals may attend trial with the attorney to assist with managing documents, helping the attorney with strategy, and ensuring all paperwork is in order. They also are the one person in your case you know the best and who knows you pretty well, so the provide an extra element of support for you.

8. Monitoring Deadlines and Court Dates

• Paralegals are skilled at tracking important deadlines (such as filing deadlines or response deadlines) and court dates. They help ensure that nothing is overlooked and that all necessary actions are taken on time.

9. Compliance with Court Orders

• After a family law case is resolved, paralegals can help ensure that court orders (e.g., custody agreements, child support orders, spousal support) are properly filed with the court, child support office and sent to the client. This helps with assisting with the paperwork needed to enforce or modify orders if circumstances change.

10. Emotional Support

• Family law cases can be emotionally charged, and while paralegals cannot provide emotional counseling, they often serve as a calming and reassuring presence throughout the process. They maintain professional, supportive communication with clients and help alleviate the stress associated with legal proceedings by providing information on the procedural part of the process.

Our paralegals at the Denis Law Group play an essential role in supporting your family law case by handling much of the administrative, organizational, and research tasks, allowing the attorney to focus on the legal strategy and representation. They help ensure that deadlines are met, evidence is properly organized, and clients are kept informed, which helps to streamline the process and reduce costs. Although paralegals cannot offer legal advice or represent clients in court, their assistance is invaluable in making the entire process more efficient and manageable.

From helping a parent navigate the sticky waters of custody dispute to a name change, paralegals provide a personal touch that name all the difference in the world. Our team of paralegals at the Denis Law Group are excited and devoted to our clients, contact the Denis Law Group today and meet your new paralegal!