what to ask a potential divorce lawyer

by Dr. Jared Franecki 9 min read

Ten Questions to Ask Your Potential Divorce Attorney

  • Does your firm focus on divorce and family law, or is divorce just one of the many things that your firm handles? What...
  • Can you give me some specific references for other clients you’ve represented?
  • Will you be the only attorney working on my case, or will another attorney be involved? If another attorney will be...

Full Answer

What you should know before contacting a divorce attorney?

  • take photographs of every item and photograph sets of small items, such as dinner ware, together
  • use the front page of that day's newspaper in every photograph in order to create a "time stamp," which avoids any claims that the photo was taken at an earlier ...
  • keep your photos in a safe, protected place

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What are some questions to ask a divorce attorney?

If you want to hire a specific attorney, they’ll probably give you a contract and might need a deposit in order to take on your case. Before they can file anything, they’ll require a lot of information, hence, before meeting them, ensure that you ask about what they’ll need for the claim. 5. “Who Should Move Out?”

How do I find a good divorce lawyer?

Method 3 Method 3 of 3: Choosing an Attorney

  1. Make appointments with prospective divorce attorneys. Don’t just choose the first attorney you find.
  2. Prepare for your divorce attorney appointment. Before meeting or having a phone consultation with the attorneys on your list, you should prepare for the appointments.
  3. Gather all the information and documents you were asked to bring to your consultation. ...

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How to know if a divorce lawyer is good?

  • Does your attorney explain the divorce process to you?
  • Does your attorney meet procedural timelines?
  • Is your attorney prepared?
  • Does your attorney communicate with you?
  • Who's the decision maker for important issues?

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What questions should I ask when getting a divorce?

Questions to ask a divorce attorney on the first visit about communicationHow often will we communicate about my case? ... How will we communicate with each other? ... What communication should I have with my spouse about the issues you and I discuss? ... How can I keep communication between my spouse and me amicable?More items...

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...

What questions should I ask my lawyer?

Questions to Ask Your Lawyer During a Consultation1) What kind of experience do you have with similar cases?2) What would be your strategy for my case?3) Are there any alternatives to going to court?4) What are my possible outcomes?5) Who will actually handle my case?6) What is my role in my case?More items...•

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.

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 much does a divorce lawyer cost?

Our survey showed an average rate of $270 an hour for divorce lawyers across the United States, but individual rates varied a lot. Although nearly seven in ten people (69%) paid between $200 and $300 an hour, about one in ten (11%) paid $100 per hour, and two in ten (20%) paid $400 or more.

How do you divorce a narcissist?

Divorcing a NarcissistDon't Even THINK That Your Divorce Will Be Amicable. ... Get a Strong, but Reasonable, Divorce Lawyer. ... Get a Therapist. ... Assemble Your Support Team BEFORE You Divorce. ... Get EVERYTHING in Writing! ... Stay Out of Court as Much as You Can. ... Find Ways Your Narcissistic Spouse Can “Win” ... Pick Your Battles Wisely.More items...

What is the hardest question to ask a lawyer?

12 Tough Questions to Ask a LawyerWhat's your opinion of the probate process?Under what conditions do you recommend a Living Trust?How do I protect my children from abusive relatives if something happens to me?Can I keep my kids from controlling their entire inheritance at 18?More items...•

What are 3 questions you should ask a lawyer before hiring?

6 Questions To Ask Before You Hire A LawyerWhat's Your Experience? ... What Percentage Of Your Practice Is Dedicated To This Area Of Law? ... What Will This Cost? ... Can You Charge Me A Flat-Rate Fee? ... Where's My Contract? ... Can I Avoid Going To Court?

What do you say when talking to a lawyer?

Tips for Talking to an AttorneyAlways be as honest and candid as possible about the facts of your case. ... Ask questions if you don't understand something that your attorney mentions or explains to you.Approach an attorney about your case as soon as you think you may need one.More items...•

How Experienced Are You in Family Law?

  • As Avvo.com says, experience is important. While it may be a nice idea to cut a fresh law graduate a break by giving them their first big job, think about how complicated your divorce is likely to be first. If you’ve got kids, substantial combined assets or debts, complex living arrangements, or a …
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How Much Will This Cost Me?

  • As divorcenet.com notes, most divorce lawyers will be reluctant to put a specific number on how much a divorce will cost. Average costs depend on numerous factors, including complexity and the level of conflict involved. While your lawyer should give you an indication of the cost, they should also make it clear that cost estimates are exactly that – estimates – and that the true co…
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Do You Handle Custody Cases?

  • If you don’t have children, you obviously don’t need to worry about whether or not your divorce lawyer will also be able to handle any custody issues. If you do, be sure to ask up front if it’s something they have experience in. Don’t assume that all divorce lawyers know the ins and outs of other family law matters – many do, but it’s not a given. Ask how many cases they’ve dealt with t…
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Have You Handled Similar Cases in The Past?

  • Not all divorces are the same. Maybe the lawyer you’re speaking to has extensive experience in high conflict divorcebut no experience in high net worth divorce. Maybe their strength lies in mediation rather than litigation. Once you’ve outlined the specifics of your situation, be prepared to quiz them on how familiar they are with cases such as yours and how they’ve handled similar …
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How Does The Retainer Work?

  • Divorce is rarely pretty and never cheap. Before putting your business in the hands of any lawyer, find out how much their retainer is and how it works. Will any unused portions be returned? Will you be reimbursed (and if so, by how much) if you decide not to proceed with the divorce? Will you be reimbursed if you aren’t happy with their services and move to another attorney? What happe…
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Who Will Be Working on My Case?

  • Don’t assume that the person you’re talking to about your case at the moment will be the one to handle every part of it. Some lawyers work as one-man bands, but many others work as part of a larger team. It could be that the lawyer you’re currently in discussion with will be handling the communication, but another lawyer will be handling the paperwork. Ask for confirmation so you …
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How Long Will My Divorce take?

  • Most people go into a diverse wanting the process to be over as soon as possible, but it’s important to set your expectations around a reasonable timeframe. Ask your lawyer what waiting period is applicable (most states have a set waiting period between the date of the petition being served and the final hearing date) and what they believe a realistic time frame will be based on t…
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What Is Your Approach to The Divorce Process?

  • No two lawyers are the same, and no two lawyers have exactly the same approach to handling a divorce. Some will take a matter to court without hesitation, others will prefer to use alternative dispute methods in the first instance. As divorces settled at the negotiation table tend to be more cost-effective in the long run, be sure to grill them on their preferred approach (and if it’s alternat…
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Where Do You See Any Problems Arising?

  • The more well-informed you are from the outset, the better. Once you’ve given the lawyera summary of your case, ask them where they see any problems occurring. If they’ve dealt with similar cases in the past, they should be able to give you a good idea of any red flags and what they’ll do to manage them.
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