what type of lawyer can answer marriage law questions

by Dolores Stoltenberg 9 min read

Family law attorneys can help you understand the marriage requirements in your state, draft a prenuptial agreement (or "prenup"), and provide legal assistance for other issues pertaining to marriage.

What kind of questions can I ask a lawyer for free?

Most of these questions you should be able to answer with ease but always be on the ready for unexpected questions. Put yourself in the shoes of the interviewer and try to picture what types of questions you may ask a married couple if one is trying to seek a green card. Read more about marriage and fiancée visas. In a same-sex relationship?

What are the questions to ask in a marriage interview?

Ask your question—it’s free and anonymous. Get notified when a lawyer responds—usually within 12 hours. Ask follow-up questions—make sure you understand your options. Tips for asking questions. Provide key details, but don’t feel like you have to tell the whole story. Ask a concise question—be brief and to the point. * Ask your ...

What kind of questions do police officers ask during a marriage?

This is an important question for two reasons. First, it will test the divorce attorney's knowledge and experience of the divorce process and divorce law. Second, it will educate you on what specifically the attorney can and will do with you to help mitigate the costs. Do not settle for a generic answer.

How to answer marriage green card interview questions?

Apr 09, 2015 · Please answer a few questions to help us match you with attorneys in your area. Select Your Legal Issue. Select Your Legal Issue. Airplane Business Transactions. Auto Accident. Aviation Accidents. Bankruptcy. Child Custody. Child Support.

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Do lawyers answer questions?

As you probably know from law firm advertisements, many attorneys offer free consultations to prospective clients to answer basic questions about whether they need a lawyer. Free consultations typically last about 30 minutes to an hour, though each lawyer can set his or her own rules.Jul 28, 2014

Can I just ask a lawyer a question?

Ask a Lawyer allows you to get free answers from lawyers in your area for basic legal questions on a variety of topics, including family law, employment law, criminal law, and more.

Can two married lawyers go against each other?

When lawyers representing different clients are related by blood or marriage, they must disclose it to their clients and get consent to continue. So, in real life, Tracy and Hepburn's characters would have needed consent by everyone to oppose each other in court.Apr 11, 2016

What a man should ask for in a divorce settlement?

5 more things to ask for in a divorce settlement agreement

Co-parenting plan. Relationship building. Documentation. Money.
Aug 16, 2019

What is a legal question in a case?

A legal issue is a question of law that is raised based on the facts of a case. A factual issue, as the name suggests, is a question that arises based on the circumstances and actually events that transpired leading upto the case.

Is there a website to ask lawyers questions?

ABA Free Legal Answers is a website on which you can submit your questions about civil (non-criminal) legal issues and receive answers from pro bono lawyers in your state.

Why is my attorney not fighting for me?

For example, in a custody, divorce, criminal, or civil case, your lawyer might not be fighting properly. It might be a sign of incompetence or even a conflict of interest in your client attorney relationship. If you believe that my lawyer is not fighting for me, it may be due to the lawyer's style and mannerisms.Jul 24, 2020

Can your lawyer be your friend?

There are no special rules for representing friends and relatives – lawyers who provide legal assistance to relatives are bound by the same rules that apply to any lawyer-client relationship.

Why do lawyers talk to each other?

Attorneys can also directly communicate with each other on behalf of their clients. They can discuss potential settlement agreements, upcoming hearings, and other matters. This avoids the parties communicating directly if that is not a feasible option and it ensures that the legal matters are properly dealt with.

What is a wife entitled to in a divorce?

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 should a wife ask for in a divorce?

5 Things To Make Sure Are Included In Your Divorce Settlement
  • A detailed parenting-time schedule—including holidays! ...
  • Specifics about support. ...
  • Life insurance. ...
  • Retirement accounts and how they will be divided. ...
  • A plan for the sale of the house.
Sep 14, 2017

How should a woman prepare for a divorce?

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

What are some good questions to ask at a wedding?

These are some typical questions even though they are not taken from any standard list. 1 What do you as a couple have in common? 2 When did your relationship become romantic? 3 How many people attended your wedding? 4 Did all your parents attend the wedding? 5 Where did the wedding take place? 6 What were the names of the bridesmaids? 7 Did you have a honeymoon? Where did you go? 8 What do the two of you eat at breakfast? 9 Do you and your spouse drink coffee every morning? 10 Who pays the bills? 11 Do you and your spouse belong to a particular religion? 12 Where do you keep the spare toilet paper? 13 Who does the shopping for groceries? 14 What is your spouse’s preferred food? 15 How often do you visit one another’s parents? 16 What are the names of the sisters and brothers of your spouse? 17 What is your spouse’s phone number? 18 What car model does your spouse own? 19 What kind of birth control do you use? 20 Who is responsible for paying the rent or mortgage? 21 What did you do at your spouse’s last birthday? 22 What present did your spouse give you at your last birthday? 23 Who takes the photographs at important family get-togethers?

What to do if you are unable to answer a question?

If you are unable to answer a question don’t just guess, tell the interviewer you are not sure of the answer. If the officer from the USCIS thinks that your marriage is not genuine at the green card interview you may be asked as a couple to separate throughout the interview procedure.

What can a divorce attorney do for you?

An experienced and knowledgeable divorce attorney will provide you with the tools to communicate better with your spouse. These tools include how to communicate with your spouse, when to communicate with your spouse and how to diffuse conflict.

How to plan your life after a divorce?

If you want to plan your life after a divorce, you should at least have a general idea of how long divorces similar to yours take. This planning will also help you prepare a budget for the cost of divorce. The attorney should truthfully tell you there is no way to predict exactly how long a divorce will take.

What is spousal support?

Spousal support, also called alimony, is either temporary or ordered at the final judgment. Most divorce cases include both temporary spousal support and spousal support at the judgment phase. We are not going to go into a lengthy discussion about spousal support.

What is the importance of having a lawyer?

Getting a lawyer with the right legal background is essential, but it is also important to know whether your attorney has experience with the judges who will likely preside over your case. If yours is a criminal matter, it is important to know if your lawyer knows the local prosecutors. This courtroom experience can greatly enhance your lawyer’s ability to evaluate the likely outcomes in your case and give you advice that you can rely on.

How to feel comfortable with an attorney?

You should feel comfortable from the beginning of your attorney-client relationship that you will be able to have regular communications with your counsel. Make sure that you exchange contact information and agree on the ways that you will stay in touch.

Do attorneys have conflicts of interest?

Attorneys in every state have an ethical obligation to advise you of any conflict of interest. Still, you should ask the question. If the lawyer’s representation of prior or existing clients would limit the attorney’s ability to represent you, there is likely a conflict. For example, if you want to sue a hospital that the potential lawyer regularly ...

What is the process of a civil case?

In civil cases, your lawyer might propose mediation , a settlement negotiation process involving a neutral third-party. Other times, arbitration might be an option. Arbitration— using a private service to adjudicate a dispute—is a less formal, less costly, and faster way of getting a decision in some civil matters.

How can a lawyer save you money?

Your lawyer can often save you money by delegating routine tasks to firm employees who charge a lower hourly rate. However, your lawyer should be involved in all key aspects and decisions of your case, or should explain to you why a colleague can handle some important part of the matter just as well.

What is contingency fee?

In cases where you are suing for monetary damages, the lawyer may represent you for a “contingency fee.”. This means the attorney gets paid a portion (typically one-third) of the amount you receive after a successful trial or settlement. Make sure you discuss expenses as well as attorney fees.

How long should it take to answer a question?

Respond clearly and be as descriptive as possible with dates and places and or persons names. It should not take longer than one to two minutes to answer a question, but be sure to explain yourself.

Can an immigration officer separate you after swearing in?

However, an interrogation style interview can be more intimidating and stressful. The immigration officer after swearing you both in will then separate you both. One spouse will be invited into the officer’s office and the other spouse will be asked to wait in the waiting room.

1. How long have you practiced law?

At a minimum, you'll want to know about the lawyer's expertise and whether the lawyer is a veteran or beginner attorney, for instance. Your legal issue may very well be handled by someone who is fresh out of law school, (or not). It all depends.

2. What type of cases do you generally handle? What percentage of your practice is devoted to (the practice area in question)?

You'll also want to know about a lawyer's expertise and how much of the attorney's practice is devoted to topic area your legal issue falls within. For example, if you need help with an adoption case, you may wish to seek a family law lawyer who has worked on, well, adoption cases. Click here for a full list of practice area definitions.

3. Who is your typical client?

This is an important, but often-overlooked question. For example, if you are an individual with a particular legal problem, but the attorney your meeting with represents only corporations, this may not be the best lawyer for you. Likewise, you may wish to know the financial background of some of the lawyer's clients.

4. How many cases have you represented that were similar to mine?

Now is not the time to act shy. Feel free to ask about the attorney's track record, such as the number of cases won or settled, for example.

5. Other than a law degree, what kind of special training or knowledge do you have that might apply in my situation?

Some cases, like DUI and patent cases, require specialized training and knowledge for effective representation. Be sure to inquire whether your case fits into that category.

6. What are your attorney fees and costs, and how are they billed? Will a portion or all of my case be handled by paralegals or legal assistants? If so, ask about reduced costs

This step is obviously an important one. You'll want to know whether you can afford the lawyer's services and how you will be required to pay. This is also the time to ask about payment options and how often, and under what circumstances, you will be billed.

7. What is your approach or philosophy to winning or representing a case?

This can be important in two ways. First, if you are seeking an amicable divorce, for example, but the attorney is known to "go for the kill" in divorce cases, the attorney may not be the right one for you.

How to choose a divorce attorney?

There are several things to look for when choosing a divorce attorney. You want to choose someone who is experienced, respected, competent, and affordable. If they are proving to not be a good fit though, change them. Because you can, even if the reason is that you don't get on with him or her. Bear in mind however that if an attorney has worked on your case, you'll have to pay her/him for their time. Also, it might damage your case to change attorney's when you are close to a court ordered deadline, so only do it after careful consideration.

Do divorce lawyers charge by the hour?

Divorce lawyers often charge by the hour. If you take responsibility for being as organized as possible, not only are you likely to walk away from your marriage with a more acceptable outcome, you'll probably save some money too.

What is fault based divorce?

Fault-based divorce is when one spouse committed an act that gives legal justification to the ending of the marriage. These acts include adultery, a felony conviction, cruelty, or desertion.

How to start a divorce?

One of the best and simplest ways to do that is to start a divorce file. In this file, keep every bit of paper that could have an effect on how your divorce proceedings. Gather copies of all important financial documents and access to all account information. Keep it organized and easy to navigate.

Is divorce law firm bigger than solo practice?

In any industry, the larger a company is, the bigger volume it's doing. Divorce law firms are no different, prompting many people to seek a solo practitioner who is more invested in the outcome of your case. Paradoxically, however, if the solo practitioner does not have adequate support staff in his or her office, your case may end up not getting the attention and care you were promised.

What does it mean to be uncontested in divorce?

An uncontested divorce means that you and your spouse agree child custody, spousal support, child support, visitation, and division of property. If you find that there is no need to fight over these things, you've already saved yourself thousands of dollars.

What is mediation in divorce?

Mediation is a process whereby you and your spouse sit down with a neutral third party to negotiate several important areas of divorce. It's a low-cost way to address practically any other disagreement you and your spouse may have. While the mediator's decision is not binding, it allows a neutral party to provide their perspective on how divorce related issues should be addressed. However, mediation can only be a useful tool if you and your spouse can come to an broad agreement.

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