Preparing for divorce is one of the most serious things you will ever do. The questions are endless. I will delve into the various questions that may be on your mind, and then, in subsequent blog posts, I will address each one individually.
Here is a typical list of questions asked of me when someone meets with me, seeking a divorce.
1. How do I research the best way to divorce using the Internet?
2. How do I know if I am finding the right divorce attorney?
3. How do I know how much divorce should cost and how do I pay for it?
4. How can I minimize the costs of attorneys’ fees in divorce?
5. What are the other “hidden” expenses of divorce?
6. How do I financially prepare for the divorce that I know is coming?
7. How do I get my spouse to leave the home?
8. How do I angle for superior custody of my children?
9. What and when do I tell our children?
10. How do I handle my family in divorce?
11. Do I lose my spouse’s family in divorce?
12. Who gets our friends when we divorce?
13. How do I decide what type of divorce process to use?
14. What is divorce counseling and do I want it?
15. How do I get our children into counseling?
16. What is divorce mediation and do I want it?
17. How do I get a separation agreement and it is required?
18. How do I decide when to file for divorce?
19. What is an emergency and can I get emergency relief?
20. Can I get a protective order and will that help my case?
21. What is a Complaint for Limited Divorce and Absolute Divorce?
22. Do I have to file for divorce or can I just file for custody, custody support or alimony?
23. Do my children need an attorney? How does that work?
24. What is discovery in a divorce case and what am I supposed to do?
25. What is a Scheduling Conference and do I have to have one?
26. How do I prepare for a Pendente Lite hearing?
27. How do I prepare for mediation?
28. How do I prepare for a settlement conference?
29. What should I expect at a divorce trial?
30. How do I prepare for my divorce trial?
31. How do I prepare to testify at a divorce trial?
32. What are the possible outcomes at a divorce trial?
Trust me, these are not all of the questions you will ask. Many of these questions are not part of the initial consultation. If you hire a highly experienced divorce attorney, this is only a small part of what we are thinking at your initial consultation.
In the succeeding blog posts, I will briefly discuss each of these topics, so that you can begin to have a proper education. While you might not get all of the answers, you will at least know the questions to ask, which will get you thinking, as well.