Divorce Lawyer Consultation: Questions to ask
When meeting with a divorce lawyer 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 fail to prepare and forget to ask about essential details, you might wind up needing to pay the lawyer to address those concerns at a later time. Normally, your concerns will likely associate with monetary and child custody problems.
Lawyer Fee Structure
The first question you ought to ask the divorce lawyer during the consultation is about her cost structure. Particularly, you need to know whether the lawyer will bill you for each hour she invests in your case, consisting of the time she spends answering your questions, or whether it's a fixed fee. Given that divorce procedures can often take years to settle, you should prepare for the financial implications.
Divorce Procedures
Every state has different procedures you and your lawyer need to follow to apply for divorce. Although the length of time needed to finish a divorce will always depend on the complexity of your situation, your attorney needs to supply you with a price quote of the timeline. If you work full-time or have other responsibilities that consume a majority of your time, understanding of necessary divorce treatments and the time commitments they need can assist you prepare for what lies ahead.
Spousal support Issues
States have specific rules that dictate whether a partner might look for alimony from the other spouse. In many cases, eligibility connects to the length of your marriage, whether you or your spouse stays at home to raise kids, and even the discrepancy in revenues see here in between spouses. Regardless of whether you are the spouse seeking the spousal support or have issues about your liability for its payment, raising the question throughout the preliminary consultation with your attorney can supply you with insight into your prospective liabilities as you proceed through the divorce.
Kid Custody
When you have kids with your spouse, and are unable to independently agree as to who will maintain custody, it's essential to understand from the start which elements are essential to state judges when deciding which moms and dad to award custody to. You must ask your attorney what your opportunities are of acquiring custody of your children. Since kid custody problems sometimes lengthen divorce proceedings, it's best to understand which problems are best to concede and which to challenge. You may also inquire about alternative conflict resolution like mediation or arbitration if you feel going to trial is something you 'd like to avoid.
Dividing Marital Assets
Many state divorce laws supply a simple formula for allocating joint properties between spouses. Nevertheless, the formula varies for each state given that state residential or commercial property laws will dictate the ownership rights of each partner. It's important to ask the divorce attorney what the legal framework for splitting marital properties is in your state.
For more information, contact:
Clearwater Law Group
5205 West Clearwater Avenue
Kennewick, WA 99336
(509) 734-8500