what to ask lawyer for divorce

What you should know before contacting a divorce attorney?

There are several questions to ask a divorce lawyer during a consultation. Namely, you are going to want to know how good your chances are of getting what you want. For example, some people want certain assets or property over their partner. This is a question you can put to a divorce lawyer to give you an honest answer. Alimony

What to look for in a good divorce attorney?

Most family law cases, especially divorce cases that involve financial issues, will include documents with the client's Social Security number, bank account numbers and other private information. If the attorney or law firm you intend to hire does not have a specific and secure method of storing and transmitting that information, you should ask yourself what else are they …

What are some questions to ask a divorce attorney?

 · What questions is the lawyer asking you about your situation? This question is your chance to 1) make sure they’ve been hearing you and 2) get insights that could help keep your divorce process moving along without surprises. 5. Talk about payment. This question is especially important if you’re concerned about your financial situation.

How to find a good divorce lawyer?

Don’t be ashamed to ask your attorney for help in figuring out the best way to finance the cost of your case. Divorce Attorney Duties Do you think that you get emotionally involved in your case? This is a great question. On one hand, you want an attorney who can be objective, level headed, and help reduce the emotional tension in your case.

What questions should I ask when getting a divorce?

Ten Questions to Ask a Divorce AttorneyDo you specialize in divorces, or are divorces just a part of your practice? ... What is your strategy for my case? ... How long do you take to return phone calls? ... Will anyone else in your office be working on my case? ... How will you charge me?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 you should know before you talk to a lawyer?

10 Things You Should Know Before Contacting a LawyerHave Your Documents Ready. ... Research the Elements of Your Case. ... Don't Call if You Just Have a Question. ... You May Not Speak to a Lawyer Right Away. ... Do Not Ask the Legal Support Staff for Advice. ... Don't Provide Too Much Information. ... Answer the Lawyer's Specific Questions.More items...•

What is a good question to ask a judge?

Good questions to ask the judge include the following: “How do you like being a judge?” “How did you decide to become a judge?” “What was the most important thing that helped you become a judge?”

What to ask a divorce lawyer?

What red flags did your story raise for them? What questions is the lawyer asking you about your situation? This question is your chance to 1) make sure they’ve been hearing you and 2) get insights that could help keep your divorce process moving along without surprises.

How many lawyers should I hire for divorce?

You get to choose who helps you through it. That’s why I highly recommend interviewing at least 2-3 attorneys before selecting one. Don’t let anyone pressure you into working with them, either. This process is going to get harder before it gets easier, so it’s important that the lawyer by your side – the lawyer who is going to be learning a lot about the inner workings of your marriage, your finances, and more – is someone that you trust, respect, and actually like.

How to cut down on lawyer fees?

You can cut down significantly on fees by forming a relationship with team members who bill at a lower hourly rate.

Why is it important to have an open mind when getting divorced?

Before you pull into the attorney’s parking lot, repeat this mantra: No two divorces are alike! No two divorces are alike! Having an open mind about the hard things— possible custody schedules, whether or not you need to sell the house, whether or not your family can continue to go on two weeks of vacation each summer— will help your prospective attorney come up with a strategy that meets your long term goals and makes sense for your unique circumstances.

What does Christy do in a divorce?

For Christy, receiving this information allows her to give the most bang for a potential client’s buck in terms of an initial consultation. She can give a prospective client a pretty good idea of what will happen to each of those assets and liabilities in a divorce and help a potential client understand what their financial picture will look like post divorce.

What is the goal of hiring an attorney?

For many women, the ‘goal’ of hiring an attorney may simply be “get me outta this marriage!” But honing in on what you want your life to look like after the divorce dust has settled can be a useful tool for identifying how you want to work through the process of ending your marriage.

Can you represent yourself in divorce?

Most states allow individuals to represent themselves in the divorce process. And, it’s more common than you think: 80 percent of divorces involve at least one party representing themselves. Lots of people go this route – which means you can, too.

What should an experienced divorce lawyer show you?

An experienced divorce lawyer should show you how much you can discuss with your spouse and examples of off-limit discussions.

What is a good divorce lawyer?

Good divorce lawyers are excellent communicators. They must be available to answer your questions at any time while reaching you for information if need be.

What happens if you don't hire a lawyer?

However, if you’re unable to hire a good lawyer, you’ll struggle to make a case, and the divorce may end up unfavorably.

What happens if an attorney has a high caseload?

If an attorney has a high caseload, it may put you in the backlog, leading to negligence and jeopardizing the divorce process.

Is a divorce less expensive than a divorce with many conflicts over finances and custody?

A peaceful divorce with no financial disagreements will be less expensive than a divorce with many conflicts over finances and custody.

Is it possible to figure out how much you will be paying for divorce?

Like most things relating to divorce, it is almost impossible to determine how much you will be shelling out for the divorce process.

Can divorce be collaborative?

However, not all divorces can be processed collaboratively. The success of a collaborative divorce process depends on the cooperation of your spouse.

How often do attorneys talk to their clients?

Some attorneys will talk to their clients on a weekly basis or more. Other attorneys will only talk to their clients when their clients contact them. Yet other attorneys religiously follow the one phone call a month to do an overview strategy session no matter how many times the client has talked to the attorney in the past 30 days. There isn’t a right answer, but it’s good to know in advance what the scope of communication will be.

What is a good deal in a case?

Even if your case does not step foot in a courtroom, it’s good to have an understanding of how the law works to get a basic idea of what is a good deal in your case. Of course, a good deal also accounts for subjective things like your particular needs or your spouse’s particular needs.

What is the greatest tragedy in divorce cases?

The greatest tragedy in divorce cases is when a custody battle spirals out of control for months or even years. The attorneys have a lot of say in controlling or mitigating some of the emotional responses in these cases and keeping things under control.

What is collaborative divorce?

What is a collaborative divorce and am I eligible for one? A collaborative divorce model is one that focuses on a win-win settlement agreement. You can consider it the opposite of going to court. Does the attorney you’re meeting with think that this is a reasonable possibility in your case? Why or why not?

Is collaborative training good for a lawyer?

Similar to the question above, it can be helpful to have an attorney who has collaborative training under their belt, even if your case is not a collaborative one. Collaborative training is built on principled negotiation or the concept of not digging a line in the sand or taking a position that can’t be moved.

How to know if you're getting a reasonable deal?

This requires a lot of trust, so the best thing you can do is check the attorney out thoroughly at the beginning of the process, so you understand how you guys will work together.

Do cases go to litigation?

The reality is certain cases must go to litigation in order to get the right result. You are vetting not just the transactional experience of your family law attorney, but also their ability to litigate if and when it is required.

Will I Have Access to My File?

Your case file will be the centerpiece of your divorce proceedings. At the end of the day, it belongs to YOU. Your lawyer should be able to give you a copy of your file within a reasonable period of time. If, for some reason, your attorney is hesitant to hand over a copy of your file, or wants to keep parts of it away from you, be wary.

Will You Provide References?

The answer to this question is Yes. A lawyer should have no trouble providing you with several references to his or her former clients. If they cannot, they have either had no success representing people in the past or they do not have enough experience in the field. Either way, it’s a bad sign.

Who Will Work on My Case?

We cannot stress this enough. This is very important to get the answer to. Will the person you’re having a consultation with be handling your case? Or, are they only there to pitch the office’s services to you?

How Much Does a Divorce Cost?

We’ll tell you this now: you won’t get an exact number. That’s perfectly fine. However, your lawyer should be comfortable giving you a rough estimate, or, more accurately, estimates.

What Is the Process for a Divorce?

A lawyer with experience should be able to devise a couple of scenarios showing different ways the process could pan out. Your attorney should be able to explain the standard process and rough time frame for a divorce case, what they’ll take care of, and what you’ll need to do.

What Documents Do You Need?

Law is mostly paperwork, so you’ll want to know what information and documentation to start digging up. There isn’t much extra to say about this one.

What If My Spouse Wants to Make Things Difficult?

This is an absolute worst-case scenario. Unfortunately, divorces happen where one spouse simply doesn’t want to give a single inch. They want the divorce to be a war, no matter what. They are not in it to win, they’re in it to cause as much pain and trouble as possible. In cases like this, it can feel like your divorce will go on for years.

How long do you have to wait to hire a lawyer?

Now, you might need to hire a lawyer immediately if your spouse has already filed for a divorce, however, if you are the one thinking about filing it, you could wait for several days, weeks, or months before making a decision. If you want to hire a specific attorney, they’ll ...

What to discuss during a first consultation?

Hence, during your first consultation, you should discuss some methods that will help you properly manage the financial aspect of your case. Keep in mind, the expenses, in the end, won’t only depend on you or your legal representative, it will also depend on your spouse too.

Is divorce expensive?

You probably already know that the entire process of getting a divorce is expensive, which is why most people worry about their finances. The expenses you’ll have will depend on a wide range of things including how complex your case is, whether there is custody of the kids involved, as well as how well you can work with your spouse during the divorce.

Is it stressful to get divorced?

Getting a divorce is always extremely stressful for everyone involved, and the situation gets even more serious and daunting when there are children involved. So, if you are feeling uncertainty and denial as you prepare to meet with your divorce lawyer for the very first time, know that it is not unusual and that it happens to everyone.

Is divorce stressful?

The entire process of getting a divorce is stressful, complex, and extremely difficult for all parties involved. However, by talking to your lawyer and asking them the aforementioned questions, they’ll be able to explain what you’ll have to expect during the process, as well as how it will look like.

How can a divorce attorney help you?

Luckily, divorce attorneys can help alleviate some of your legal and financial stresses by advocating for a division of property that works in your favor. If you've decided to retain a divorce attorney, you can help save your attorney time (and save yourself some money) by gathering important legal and financial documents together ...

Is divorce emotionally or legally?

Divorce is complicated -- legally, financially, and emotionally. Dividing up property a couple has acquired throughout their marriage (also known as marital property) can be one of the most contentious aspects of divorce.

Is divorce exhaustive?

As you can see, the above list extensive -- yet, it is not exhaustive. Every divorce is different since every couple enters and leaves a marriage under different circumstances and with different assets. Therefore, to ensure no property is overlooked, it is always a good idea to have an open and frank conversation with your attorney regarding all ...

Is it a good idea to have an open and frank conversation with your attorney regarding all of the property

Therefore, to ensure no property is overlooked, it is always a good idea to have an open and frank conversation with your attorney regarding all of the property and assets relevant to your case.