Divorce Lawyer Consultation: Questions to ask
When consulting with a divorce attorney for a preliminary assessment, it's beneficial to get as much details as possible. Optimizing your time requires that you prepare a list of questions you need answers to before your meeting. If you neglect to prepare and forget to ask about crucial info, you may end up having to pay the attorney to address those concerns at a later time. Normally, your concerns will likely associate with financial and child custody issues.
Lawyer Fee Structure
The very first question you ought to ask the divorce lawyer throughout the assessment has to do with her charge structure. Specifically, you want to know whether the attorney will bill you for each hour she invests in your case, consisting of the time she invests answering your questions, or whether it's a set cost. Considering that divorce proceedings can sometimes take years to finalize, you need to get ready for the monetary implications.
Divorce Procedures
Every state has different treatments you and your lawyer should follow to declare divorce. Although the length of time required to complete a divorce will constantly depend upon the complexity of your situation, your lawyer needs to offer you with a quote of the timeline. If you work full-time or have other obligations that consume a bulk of your time, understanding of important divorce procedures and the time dedications they need can help you prepare for what lies ahead.
Alimony Issues
States have particular rules that dictate whether a partner may seek spousal support from the other partner. In some cases, eligibility connects to the length of your marital relationship, whether you or your spouse stays at home to raise kids, or even the disparity in incomes between partners. Regardless of whether you are the partner seeking the spousal support or have issues about your liability for its payment, raising the question throughout the initial consultation with your lawyer can provide you with insight into your possible liabilities as you continue through the divorce.
Child Custody
When you have kids with your spouse, and are unable to independently agree regarding who will keep custody, it's important to comprehend from the beginning which factors are very important to state judges when deciding which moms and dad to award custody to. You should ask your lawyer what your chances are of go right here getting custody of your children. Since kid custody issues often extend divorce proceedings, it's finest to know which concerns are best to concede and which to challenge. You may also ask about alternative conflict resolution like mediation or arbitration if you feel going to trial is something you 'd like to avoid.
Splitting Marital Assets
A lot of state divorce laws provide an uncomplicated formula for assigning joint properties between partners. Nevertheless, the formula varies for each state considering that state property laws will determine the ownership rights of each spouse. It's essential to ask the divorce legal representative what the legal framework for splitting marital properties is in your state.
For more information, contact:
The Law Offices of Saylin & Swisher
5031 Birch Street
Suite 100
Newport Beach, CA 92660
Phone: (949) 577-9240