how to prepare for meeting with divorce lawyer

^{How to Prepare to Meet with a Divorce Lawyer}

• Prepare to Build a Relationship. Communication is key when building an attorney-client relationship. Make sure you feel very comfortable and secure in that relationship.
• Discuss Your Hopes and Desires. Outline what you want at the conclusion of the divorce proceeding and bring it up with your attorney.
• Bring a List of Questions. Writing down your questions is one of the best things that you can do to prepare for your meeting. ...
• Bring Available Financial Documents. Before getting a divorce, you need to understand your family’s assets and debts. ...

Full Answer

What should I bring to my first meeting with my divorce attorney?

If you have decided to file a divorce, or your spouse has filed a divorce against you, your narrative needs to be more detailed — probably three to 10 pages. The next group of items that you will need to bring to your first meeting with you attorney is financial information.

When should you meet with your divorce attorney?

If it is your first meeting with your divorce attorney, you probably fall into one of three categories. The first category is when you are unhappy in your marriage, know very little about divorce, and want to gather some basic information so you can make educated decisions about preserving or ending your marriage.

When do you know you are going to get divorced?

The first category is when you are unhappy in your marriage, know very little about divorce, and want to gather some basic information so you can make educated decisions about preserving or ending your marriage. You do not really know whether or not you are going to get divorced.

How long should a divorce narrative be?

If you are just seeking basic divorce information because you are assessing your marriage, a page or two will suffice. If you have decided to file a divorce, or your spouse has filed a divorce against you, your narrative needs to be more detailed — probably three to 10 pages.

How do I prepare for my first meeting with a lawyer?

Tips For Meeting With Your Lawyer For the First TimeDress To Impress. ... Be Ready To Give Your Attorney Important Information About Yourself. ... Gather Your Evidence And Have It Ready For Your First Meeting. ... Get Your Facts Straight. ... Plan Something You Can Look Forward To For After Your Meeting.

What should you expect when meeting the lawyer for the first time?

To prepare for this first meeting, you should do your homework and collect all the relevant documents you think you many need to present your case such as medical records, witness statements, police reports or receipts. Next, you should write down a summary of any memory you had from the incident.

What to prepare before asking for a divorce?

Top 10 Things to Do Before You File For a DivorceNever Threaten to Divorce Until You Are Ready To File. ... Organize Your Documents. ... Focus on Your Children. ... Make Sure You Have Three Months of Financial Resources. ... Obtain the Best Legal Advice You Can Get. ... Make Sure You Have Available Credit.More items...

How do I prepare for a divorce case?

Divorce ChecklistConsider Whether You Can Resolve Your Divorce Without Court. ... Consider Whether You Need to Hire a Lawyer. ... If You Have Minor Children, Prepare for the New Parenting Arrangement. ... Collect Marriage Documents. ... Compile Important Financial Documents. ... Gather Other Essential Documents. ... Take Steps to Separate Your Life.More items...

How do you prepare to talk to a lawyer?

How to Prepare for a Lawyer ConsultationFinding the Right Attorney. Before you can have an attorney consultation, you need to find a lawyer who might be a good fit. ... Background Knowledge. ... The Legal Plan. ... Working with Your Attorney. ... Money Matters.

Should I talk to multiple lawyers?

I highly recommend that you interview however many lawyers you need to interview until you find a firm that you are comfortable with. If your case is as complex as you make it sound, you're going to have a lot of contact with the law firm you select.

What a woman should ask for in a divorce settlement?

A detailed parenting-time schedule—including holidays! It's in your best interest, and more importantly in the best interest of the children, that you have a detailed schedule in an attempt to avoid issues down the road. This parenting-time schedule is an extremely important thing to ask for in a divorce settlement.

What is a wife entitled to in a divorce settlement?

Assets that you have built up or acquired during the period of marriage are known as matrimonial assets or marital assets. These typically include property, pensions, savings, personal belongings, and cash in the bank.

What a woman should do to prepare for divorce?

9 Critical Steps Women Should Take To Prepare For DivorceGather your financial records. ... Open a Post Office Box. ... Start putting money away for legal and other professional fees. ... Open a new checking and savings account. ... Open new credit cards in your name only. ... Get a copy of your credit report.

How do I protect myself financially in a divorce?

How to Financially Protect Yourself in a DivorceLegally establish the separation/divorce.Get a copy of your credit report and monitor activity.Separate debt to financially protect your assets.Move half of joint bank balances to a separate account.Comb through your assets.Conduct a cash flow analysis.More items...•

How do you play dirty in a divorce?

Top 10 Dirtiest Divorce TricksServing Papers with the Intent to Embarrass. You're angry with your spouse, and you want to humiliate him or her. ... Taking Everything. ... Canceling Credit Cards. ... Clearing Our Your Bank Accounts. ... Starving Out the Other Spouse. ... Refusing to Cooperate. ... Jeopardizing Employment. ... Meddling in an Affair.More items...•

How long does a divorce take?

On average, it takes 12 months to complete a divorce, from filing the divorce petition to finalizing the judgment. If the case goes to trial, the average time is about 18 months. The average cost of divorce in 2019 was $12,900, which includes $11,300 in attorney's fees and about $1,600 in other expenses.

Schedule an Appointment

You’ve decided to take the next step toward divorce and scheduled a meeting with a lawyer or legal coach. Maybe you’re wondering what to do ahead of your meeting. Performing a bit of research can clarify your understanding of the divorce process and help you know what to expect.

Read about the divorce process

There are a plethora of books, blogs, and articles to help you familiarize yourself with the divorce process. One worth checking out is Crazy Time: Surviving Divorce and Building a New Life by Abigail Trafford. It’s a wonderfully insightful how-to about navigating divorce.

List your questions and goals

Gather a list of questions and topics you would like to know more about. Your lawyer or divorce coach will likely provide you with answers and information that pertain to you personally, alleviating some of your anxiety.

Get organized

Personal organization is especially helpful if you have already started the divorce process and filed the initial paperwork or plan to transfer your case from another firm.

Bring an open mind and patience

The goal is always to walk away with everything you want. Often in divorce, however, compromises must be made. Open yourself to the fact you may not love every outcome and or aspect of this process. Embrace the knowledge that you may need to compromise or adjust.

2. General Narrative Information About Your Marriage

You should also be prepared to tell the divorce lawyer about your marriage more generally. In addition to providing details about the date of the marriage and children from the marriage, you should plan to discuss a general narrative of the relationship, concerns you have about the divorce, and any other issues related to the family.

3. Information About a Premarital or Prenuptial Agreement

Is there a premarital or prenuptial agreement? You should be prepared with a copy of the premarital or prenuptial agreement, and to discuss its enforceability with your divorce attorney.

4. List of Separate and Marital Property

Generally speaking, marital property will be distributed as part of the divorce proceedings, while separate property will not. Marital property includes assets and debts from the marriage.

5. Other Financial Information

Are you anticipating that you will need spousal support until you are able to find a job or to acquire a degree? Are you anticipating that you will be paying spousal support? If you have questions or concerns about spousal maintenance or alimony, you should plan to address those with your divorce attorney at your first meeting.

Contact a Divorce Attorney to Discuss Your Case

Preparing to meet with a divorce lawyer can feel intimidating, but it is important to keep in mind that your divorce lawyer will advocate for your rights throughout the process. An experienced divorce attorney can speak with you today about what to expect in your divorce.

Bruce Stanger

My litigation experience includes family law, divorce, product liability, construction law, professional negligence, shareholder disputes, legal malpractice, and general commercial litigation.

Can a divorce lawyer represent you?

If the lawyer or the lawyer's firm has represented or consulted with anyone on the other side of the case, he or she may have a conflict and may not be able to represent you. If you have spoken with a divorce attorney about your matter, that attorney may be prevented to talking to your spouse about your matter.

Can a divorce lawyer tell you the outcome of a divorce in Michigan?

A divorce attorney that does not tell you the POTENTIAL outcomes of the above is either too inexperienced or is afraid to tell you the truth, especially if it is a type of outcome that might not work in your favor. However, you need to be concerned if a Michigan divorce lawyer GUARANTEES you a specific result.

What questions should I ask my divorce lawyer?

There are also some basic questions that a family law attorney will need to ask you to begin the divorce process, including the date of your marriage, information about your children (if any), an overview of your property and debts, and whether your case involves custody, child support, or alimony issues. An experienced divorce lawyer will know how ...

What to expect during a divorce consultation?

The subjects discussed during your consultation will depend on how far along you are in your divorce. Some clients are eager to file for divorce immediately, while others are still unsure if a divorce is right for them and just want some information about their legal rights.

Can an attorney meet with you privately?

An attorney will meet with you privately or may ask your permission to have an assistant sit in on the meeting. Anything you tell your attorney or the assistant will be kept private due to the "attorney-client privilege," and as a result, you don't have to worry about your spouse finding out what you discussed.

Should I leave a divorce consultation?

Ultimately, a good attorney will simpli fy your divorce, not complicate it.

What can a lawyer tell you about divorce?

Tax returns can tell your lawyer a lot about the overall financial situation that is going to be one of the central issues of your divorce process, and your tax return information will be extremely helpful, especially when paired with the rest of the financial documents that you provided.

What are the biggest issues in divorce?

Most of the biggest issues of a divorce are the finances, and your attorney is going to need to understand what the process is going to look like as early into the divorce as possible. Therefore, gather as much information and documentation about your finances as possible before your first meeting. Although you will be able to provide plenty of information directly to your lawyer, they will be able to gather a lot from these documents as well.

Is it hard to find a family law attorney in Tuscon, Oregon?

Finding a family law attorney in Tuscon can be more complicated than you initially think — not because they are hard to find, but because you want to be sure that you are choosing the right lawyer for your situation.

Read About The Divorce Process

List Your Questions and Goals

• Gather a list of questions and topics you would like to know more about. Your lawyer or divorce coach will likely provide you with answers and information that pertain to you personally, alleviating some of your anxiety. In addition to your questions, share your goals for the case and what your ideal outcome would be. This gives your lawyer or divo...

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Get Organized

Bring An Open Mind and Patience