What can I do to be prepared if neighbor’s dispute escalates to lawsuit?

Q: Knowing you practice law along with writing this column, what advice can you give me to be prepared if a dispute with my neighbor escalates to a lawsuit? — Anne

A: Whether it is for a dispute with a neighbor, your community association, or almost any other disagreement, there are things you can do to help your attorney get you the best result.

Lawyers love documents — keep copies of everything related to the issue, take pictures, and detailed notes. Cases that come down to the parties’ recollection are more expensive and less likely to produce good results than those with documentary evidence.

Keeping everything organized saves time, and with a lawsuit, time really is money. If you do not organize the documents, your lawyer will need to do it and charge you accordingly.

It also helps to think about your goals — what you are trying to accomplish with the suit. Is it about money, or do you just want specific actions taken? Be clear with your lawyer about what you want to occur.

But you also need to be reasonable. While a lawsuit can accomplish much, it is expensive and, in some ways, limited in what results can be had.

The more precise and reasonable your aims, the more efficient your lawyer can be when trying to make it happen.

It is also essential to listen to what your attorney tells you and ask questions if you do not understand anything. Try to remember that while your lawyer can advise you, they cannot decide for you. It is your case, and the final decisions rest with you.

Do not speak to anyone about the details of your lawsuit. Speaking for lawyers everywhere, post nothing about your case on social media. Yes, we check, and I have been able to use posts made by the opposing party to help my clients many times.

Finally, hold no information, or evidence, back from your attorney. We need to know the relevant information and have all of the documents to get you the best results.

You are hiring us for our specialized knowledge, so allow us to decide which fact or document is vital to your matter.