Divorce Lawyer Consultation: Questions to ask
When consulting with a divorce attorney for an initial consultation, it's beneficial to obtain as much information as possible. Maximizing 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 details, you might wind up needing to pay the lawyer to answer those questions at a later time. Generally, your concerns will likely be about financial and child custody issues.
Attorney Fee Structure
The first question you must ask the divorce attorney during the assessment is about her charge structure. Specifically, you wish to know whether the attorney will bill you for each hour she invests in your case, consisting of the time she invests addressing your concerns, or whether it's a set charge. Given that divorce procedures can often take years to settle, you need to get ready for the monetary implications.
Divorce Procedures
Every state has different procedures you and your attorney must follow to file for divorce. Although the length of time needed to finish a divorce will constantly depend upon the intricacy of your circumstance, your attorney must provide 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 necessary divorce treatments and the time dedications they require can help you prepare for what lies ahead.
Alimony Issues
States have specific rules that determine whether a partner may seek alimony from the other partner. Sometimes, eligibility associates with the length of your marriage, whether you or your spouse stays home to raise kids, or perhaps the inconsistency in profits between partners. Regardless of whether you are the spouse looking for the spousal support or have go visit concerns about your liability for its payment, raising the question throughout the preliminary consultation with your lawyer can supply you with insight into your prospective liabilities as you proceed through the divorce.
Kid Custody
You need to ask your lawyer what your possibilities are of obtaining custody of your kids. Because child custody concerns in some cases prolong divorce procedures, it's best to understand which problems are best to concede and which to challenge.
Dividing Marital Assets
A lot of state divorce laws provide an uncomplicated formula for assigning joint assets in between partners. However, the formula differs for each state because state property laws will determine the ownership rights of each spouse. Therefore, it's crucial to ask the divorce attorney what the legal framework for splitting marital possessions is in your state.
For more information, contact:
Clearwater Law Group
5205 West Clearwater Avenue
Kennewick, WA 99336
(509) 734-8500