Divorce Lawyer Consultation: Questions to ask
When consulting with a divorce attorney for a preliminary assessment, it's beneficial to get as much information as possible. Maximizing your time require that you prepare a list of concerns you should get answers to prior to your consultation. If you fail to prepare and forget to inquire about important information, you may end up needing to pay the lawyer to address those concerns at a later time. Normally, your concerns will likely associate with financial and child custody issues.
Attorney Fee Structure
The first concern you need to ask the divorce legal representative throughout the consultation is about her fee 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 fixed fee. Given that divorce procedures can often take years to complete, you should prepare for the financial implications.
Divorce Procedures
Every state has various treatments you and your lawyer should follow to file for divorce. The length of time required to complete a divorce will constantly depend on the intricacy of your circumstance, your attorney should provide you with a price quote of the timeline. If you work full-time or have other commitments that take in a majority of your time, knowledge of necessary divorce treatments and the time dedications they require can help you get ready for what lies ahead.
Alimony Issues
States have specific guidelines that dictate whether a spouse might seek alimony from the other partner. Sometimes, eligibility relates to the length of your marital relationship, whether you or your partner stays home to raise kids, or perhaps the inconsistency in earnings in between spouses. Therefore, no matter whether you are the spouse seeking the spousal support or have concerns about your liability for its payment, raising the question throughout the initial consultation with your lawyer can offer additional resources you with insight into your potential liabilities as you continue through the divorce.
Child Custody
You should ask your lawyer what your possibilities are of getting custody of your kids. Because kid custody concerns in some cases prolong divorce procedures, it's best to understand which problems are best to yield and which to challenge.
Dividing Marital Assets
A lot of state divorce laws provide an uncomplicated formula for allocating joint properties between partners. The formula differs for each state considering that state residential or commercial property laws will determine the ownership rights of each partner. Therefore, it's essential to ask the divorce lawyer what the legal structure for splitting marital assets remains 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