what you should know before contacting a divorce attorney

What should I do before meeting my divorce lawyer?

Aug 20, 2014 · Before you contact a divorce attorney, you need to make sure you are ready to file. This means that you have all of the necessary documents needed to file the divorce with the court. Once the paperwork has been started you will be required to meet with the attorney to discuss various aspects of the divorce including: • Division of property

What should I know before filing for divorce?

Prepare to talk about the details of your marriage and your hopes for child custody: You will need to have some idea of what type of custody arrangement you want before you go to your attorney. You should also be prepared to discuss why the marriage is ending and how you hope the divorce process will go. Bring any legal documents you may have received or signed: If your spouse …

How do I make an appointment with a divorce attorney?

Aug 20, 2014 · Before you contact a divorce attorney, you need to make sure you are ready to file. This means that you have all of the necessary documents needed to file the divorce with the court. Once the paperwork has been started you will be required to meet with the attorney to discuss various aspects of the divorce including: • Division of property

What to do first in a divorce case?

May 08, 2019 · What every person should know before talking to a divorce attorney. Making the call and scheduling an appointment to talk to a divorce attorney takes a lot of courage. It takes a lot of courage to acknowledge that your marriage is in a difficult place, that you are ready for a change, and that gathering information about the legal implications of a divorce is something …

What to know before a divorce?

It is possible to go through the divorce process and stay true to the values and character traits that are important to you. You do not have to become an angry hostile person out for vengeance.

Who is Jennifer Hargrave?

Jennifer Stanton Hargrave is an experienced family trial attorney , and is especially skilled at helping clients construct creative settlement agreements, and the owner of Hargrave Family Law. Jennifer knows in family law, there are battles that need to be fought, yet every divorce does not need to end in warfare. Jennifer is Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, and a member of the Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists, the Dallas Bar Family Law Section and the Collaborative Law Institute of Texas. Jennifer is also married to Jeffrey for over twenty years, and the mother to three children.

Is a perfect marriage a perfect marriage?

The “perfect marriage” isn’t perfect and there is no perfect spouse. Be leery of anyone portraying a perfect marriage. The very best marriages are still made up of two flawed people just trying to figure it all out. Even relationship therapists who have good marriages, frequently have hard marriages.

Who is Kim Bowen?

Deciding whether or not to get divorced will be one of the hardest decisions you’ll ever make. Kim Bowen, the founder of The Marriage Place , shares some tools and insights to help you determine if…

1. Be yourself in the meeting

You are allowed to feel and express emotion because a divorce is an emotional process. Some lawyers have difficulty with emotion. Those lawyers often practice anything but family law.

2. Be organized

While your first meeting with a divorce lawyer will be filled with you providing details, answering questions, and trying to absorb sometimes complicated legal rules while trying to assess the lawyer’s personality, there are things you can do in advance that may help move this meeting ahead more smoothly.

3. Know your goals for the divorce

When you go into this first lawyer meeting, it benefits you to be prepared, but that preparation should focus on you, your situation, needs, and goals. If you are prone to investigating divorce processes online, be wary of what you read.

What are the factors that determine alimony?

Some common factors a court considers when awarding alimony are: 1 a spouse's actual need, and the other spouse's ability to pay 2 the length of the marriage 3 each spouse's age and health (both physical and emotional) 4 each spouse's earning capacity and level of education 5 parental responsibilities for the children 6 the division of marital property between the spouses, and 7 income available to either spouse through investment of that spouse's assets.

What happens if you don't get divorced?

The main factor in residency requirement laws is the period of time you've lived within the state where you plan to get divorced.

How to avoid divorce?

To try and avoid this result, keep your separate property in an individual account and/or keep all records of transactions involving your separate assets. Divorce can be a very complex subject, so consider consulting with a local divorce lawyer before proceeding. Talk to a Lawyer.

Is there a fault based divorce?

Today, there aren't many benefits to filing for a fault-based divorce. However, if your state views fault as a factor in determining alimony or division of marital property, it's something to consider. No-fault divorce is primarily based on "irreconcilable differences" or the "irretrievable breakdown of the marriage.".

What are the grounds for divorce?

Grounds for Divorce. Divorce "grounds" are the legal reasons on which you're basing your request that the court end your marriage. Grounds fall into two categories: fault-based and no-fault. Fault-based grounds are those that require you to prove that your spouse did something wrong, which caused the divorce.

Is custody an issue in divorce?

Custody is frequently a hotbed issue in a divorce. But it's important to note that custody isn't the all-or-nothing proposition many people think it is. In deciding custody and parenting time issues, the law requires judges to think in terms of "the best interests of the child.".

What is sole legal custody?

"Sole legal custody" means only one parent is the decision-maker, but that's much more the exception than the rule today.