initial consultation divorce attorney what to bring

by Grant Hills 5 min read

What should you bring to an initial divorce consultation?

May 22, 2010 · Some of the items you should consider bringing to your initial meeting are: Information pertinent to the reason you are seeking a divorce for example, if your spouse is running up debt, bring account information; if your spouse is being abusive, bring hospital bills, photos or police reports.

How to prepare for your initial divorce consultation?

Aug 21, 2017 · Previous years’ tax returns (with attachments). There is a lot of information in a tax return that can be helpful to your attorney. If you can, bring one or two years to your initial consultation. The attachments (W2s, 1099s, etc) can also be very helpful, so don’t omit copying those. Last 3 Paystubs (yours and your spouse’s).

What are good questions to ask a divorce attorney?

What to Expect From Your First Meeting: During your initial consultation with a matrimonial attorney, expect the attorney to provide you with an overview of what to anticipate relative to at least the following five issues: (1) the divorce process, (2) matters pertaining to any

What to expect during a divorce consultation?

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What documents are needed for divorce?

You may have records or other legal documents that can impact your case in a divorce, so it’s crucial to share this information during a divorce consultation. Things like: 1 Your marriage license 2 Prenuptial agreements 3 Children’s birth certificates 4 Wills and living wills 5 Power of attorney forms 6 Any other legal records that relate to your or your spouse, such as police reports or relevant contracts

What is a power of attorney?

Power of attorney forms. Any other legal records that relate to your or your spouse, such as police reports or relevant contracts. These documents will help your divorce attorney know where the opportunities and obstacles are in helping you achieve what you want out of your divorce proceedings.

Is divorce predictable?

Each divorce, like each relationship, is different, so while parts of the process may be predictable, there are always variables that create specific needs and circumstances that can be harder to anticipate. Planning correctly from the start is one of the best ways to get the outcomes you want from your divorce proceedings ...

Can a lawyer help you with divorce?

While divorce may be common, when you go through it yourself, you still deserve dedicated, personal focus on your rights and unique situation. An experienced divorce lawyer can help you figure out the best way forward, explain the law, and represent you in court if it is ever necessary.

Why you need to bring paperwork and documents

When you first schedule an appointment with a divorce lawyer, you may be asked to bring in certain paperwork and documents for the lawyer to review. These documents allow the lawyer to do an initial assessment of your situation.

Assets & Taxes

Some information that’s important to bring to that initial consultation are your/your spouse’s last 3 years’ tax returns and a list of properties you own.

Final Thoughts

Again, the goal of the first consultation is for the lawyer to examine the information you bring in, absorb it, identify the issues and provide some information and advice. When you leave the lawyer’s office, you know you’ve left with value in the form of specific advice that pertains to your circumstances.

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A Factual Outline of Your Marriage and Reason For Divorce

  • The first thing you should make sure you have when you consult with a divorce lawyer is an outline of the facts you want to share with them. You may feel like you know the story of your marriage well enough, but it can be easy for important information or details you wanted to share to slip your mind when you have so much to consider and work through during a consultation. It’…
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Financial Documents

  • Your divorce attorney will also need to understand your financial information to begin planning for your divorce process. Everything from splitting assets to alimony paymentsto child custody arrangements can be impacted by the details of your financials, and your spouse’s, so you’ll need to share that information with your attorney as soon as possible. Financial documents to bring t…
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Copies of Important Legal Documents

  • You may have records or other legal documents that can impact your case in a divorce, so it’s crucial to share this information during a divorce consultation. Things like: 1. Your marriage license 2. Prenuptial agreements 3. Children’s birth certificates 4. Wills and living wills 5. Power of attorney forms 6. Any other legal records that relate to your or your spouse, such as police repor…
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A List of Questions and Goals

  • You don’t want to risk forgetting to ask an important question, whether it’s about your options in your divorce or about the attorney you’re considering hiring to represent you. Don’t feel like any question you have is too small or seems too silly⁠— it’s important to find the right divorce attorney for you and for you to feel comfortable and aware of the process. If you want to know somethin…
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Confidentiality During A Divorce Consultation

  • It may feel risky to divulge so much information to an attorney you haven’t decided to hire yet. But rest assured, most of the legal rules around attorney-client privilege begin with your first consultation, even if you never hire that attorney to represent you, and even if the consultation is free and you never pay them any money. This is so you can have the security to speak openly in …
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