Divorce Lawyer Consultation: Questions to ask
When meeting with a divorce lawyer for an initial assessment, it's beneficial to get as much facts as possible. Optimizing your time require that you prepare a list of concerns you require answers to before your meeting. If you fail to prepare and forget to inquire about vital details, you might wind up needing to pay the lawyer to respond to those questions at a later time. Typically, your questions will likely relate to monetary and kid custody concerns.
Lawyer Fee Structure
The first question you should ask the divorce attorney during the consultation 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 addressing your questions, or whether it's a fixed fee. Since 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. Although the length of time necessary to finish a divorce will constantly depend upon the complexity of your situation, your attorney needs to supply you with a quote of the timeline. If you work full-time or have other commitments that take in a bulk of your time, knowledge of essential divorce treatments and the time dedications they need can help you prepare for what lies ahead.
Alimony Issues
States have specific guidelines that dictate whether a spouse might look for alimony from the other spouse. In many cases, eligibility associates with the length of your marriage, whether you or your partner stays at home to raise children, or even the disparity in profits between partners. For that reason, regardless of whether you are the partner looking for the alimony or have The Law Offices of Saylin & Swisher issues about your liability for its payment, raising the concern during the preliminary assessment with your attorney can supply you with insight into your possible liabilities as you proceed through the divorce.
Kid Custody
You should ask your lawyer what your chances are of getting custody of your children. Since kid custody issues often extend divorce procedures, it's finest to know which concerns are best to concede and which to challenge.
Dividing Marital Assets
Many state divorce laws provide a simple formula for allocating joint properties between partners. The formula differs for each state because state property laws will determine the ownership rights of each spouse. For that reason, it's important 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