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.
But since it is probably the first time that you find yourself in this situation, you must be wondering – are there some really important questions that I need to ask my lawyer during the first consultation? Yes, there are, and you’ll be able to learn what those questions are in the article below. Let’s take a closer look:
1. “What Do You Need to Know About Me And The Situation?”
A lot of individuals struggle to tell their story when they are meeting their attorney for the first time. In some cases, the individual doesn’t know where to begin, while in others, there are so many stories and history that it would take several hours to explain it to. To avoid this from happening to you, allow your attorney to guide you.
So, the very first thing that you’ll need to ask is what they need to know about you and the situation you are in. By doing so, the lawyer will gather all the crucial information, meaning that they’ll be able to assist you better. Keep in mind, you’ll want to be completely honest since it can make or break your entire case.
2. “Is There a Way to Make The Process Less Costly?”
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.
For example, if you and your wife/husband can agree on some things such as how you’ll divide the assets and money, how you’ll spend time with your kids, and if there are generally fewer problems to solve, your expenses will be lower. Additionally, your attorney might tell you about some methods for settling everything that will make everything more budget-friendly.
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.
3. “What Should I Expect?”
Even when you can settle upon everything with the other side, divorces are messy, stressful, and complex. Also, each case is different and the difficulty will depend on the problems that need to be solved. The process will include tasks such as filing the divorce, notifying or in some situations notifying the other person, gathering evidence and info, as well as managing all the assets and child custody.
Be prepared for your lawyer telling you about the entire process including how long it will take and what you need to go through before you finally get divorced. Also, according to a Rockland county divorce lawyer, you’ll need to read more information about the entire divorce process in order to be prepared for anything that might come your way.
4. “What Do I Need to Do After The Consultation?”
When your consultation is over, you’ll have several decisions to make. According to Sfweekly.com 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 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?”
Whether you’ll move or not will depend entirely on you, nonetheless, there are situations where your legal representative will advise you to either stay or move since it can influence your entire case. For example, in the cases of emotional or physical abuse, false allegations of violence, and so on, your attorney will probably tell you to move right away.
6. “Do I Need to Pay Child Support?”
This is something that will entirely depend on whether you are the one who needs to pay it or if you’ll be the one who will receive it. Your lawyer will probably opt for using an online or computer program that will help them determine what child support should be during the process, says GetDivorcePapers.com a famous online divorce preparation company.
7. “What Can You Tell Me About Yourself?”
Last on the list, but not least important is the fact that you need to ask your potential attorney to tell you more about themselves. Now, we are not talking about their life story, instead, we are talking about their experience, knowledge, and skills in the industry. This is important in order for you to determine whether you want to hire him or her.
Keep in mind, you’ll want to do some digging online before scheduling your consultation. Hence, ensure that you check if a particular lawyer is licensed, read all the reviews left by previous clients, and do not forget to ask them to tell you more about their educational background.
Conclusion
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.
So, now that you have learned all the questions you’ll want to ask when you are meeting your lawyer for the first time, you might not want to lose any more time. Instead, open up your Internet browser and start searching for a reliable, reputable, and trustworthy attorney that will keep your best interest in mind.