HOW TO ATTAIN GOOD LEGAL HEALTH
OR........... HOW TO AVOID LEGAL PROBLEMS (BETTER PA, SEPTEMBER 17TH, 2008)
1) You have a very good barometer within you of what is "right" and "wrong". LISTEN to that voice within you. If something does not "feel" right to you, stop or at least slow down, gather more information, think everything over before you move forward to a final decision. If you are thinking "but, I cannot slow down, I have no time", then think about what can happen if you do not gather more information and make the best decision.
2) NEVER, NEVER sign anything you have not read and do not understand. If you do not understand what you are reading, find someone you trust to help you understand what you are reading. You must read both sides and all pages of the document. Once you sign it you cannot "unsign" the documents. Claims of "I did not understand what I signed." are not accepted in the courtroom.
3) If the substance of an agreement you are considering is of value and important to you, the agreement should be in writing, not just verbal. A verbal agreement without anything in writing is at best a "he said / she said" agreement and very difficult to prove. Even if the person(s) you are entering the agreement with are close friends or relatives you do not believe would ever back out of the agreement, you still need something in writing. People change, situations change, life changes, priorities change.
4) Find a reliable source of Information. Reliability of your source of information is critical. Aunt Jane, never went to law school. Anyone can write anything on the internet. Television broadcasts, commercials, newspapers and books are often written in line with the views of the writer. Think about who is providing you with the information, where they obtained their knowledge and how their view might be biased.
5) If you have a potential legal question use an attorney. They went to law school. Some attorneys give a free personal or telephone consultation. Even if you must spend money to get the correct advice on how to proceed, it is well worth spending a small amount of time and even money to save potentially thousands of dollars, a lot of time and stress and heartache, if things go wrong. DO NOT try to "repair" legal problems yourself, unless you are absolutely certain you know what will result from your actions. You do not want to make the situation worse.
