Questions for a Divorce Attorney

A divorce attorney will guide your through the stress and complications of a divorce and help bring divorcing couples to a resolution. Before hiring a divorce attorney you need to ask several questions.

1. How many divorce cases do you have experience with.
2. Were any of those cases settled out of court?
3. Do you practice Collaborative Law?
4. Do you know my spouse or his attorney?
5. Are you familiar with state and local Family Court judges?
6. Can you negotiate child support, spousal support and settle property issues?
7. What are your fees and do you have associates that need to be paid?
8. How do you prefer to be contacted?

Best Answers

Finding the right divorce attorney will be a very important decision. A competent divorce attorney needs to have considerable experience handling divorces cases and have relationships with other attorneys in the area and be familiar with the judge who will preside over your divorce case.

1. Hire a divorce attorney whose primary practice is Family Law or Divorce Law. Avoid hiring an attorney who strictly practices tax or business law and works on divorces part time. 
2. Directly ask how many divorces the attorney has handled and find out if he/she has managed complicated divorce cases or cases similar to yours. 
3. It is a good rule to interview at three or four divorce attorneys before you decide and hire one. Employ an attorney who has at five or six years divorce court experience and knows family law.
4. Collaborative Law can save a great deal of money for divorcing couples. Make sure this is an option. If the attorney does not deal with collaborating law, interview another attorney. 
5. Write down every possible asset and liability and give a copy to your attorney. This is the best way to determine how assets can be divided, how complicated your case will be, and how all properties, support and custody can be negotiated. 
6. Most attorneys will give you the first brief consultation at no cost. Subsequent meetings and needs will generally be charged at a retainer rate. In other words a flat fee will be worked out; a portion paid to the attorney to begin your divorce case and the final amount due at the conclusion of the case. 
7. In today’s electronic world, attorneys often require that a client correspond via email. You can generally reach an attorney through his paralegal and calls are usually returned within twenty four hours.

Your divorce attorney will represent you in filing all papers, negotiations, and speaking before the judge if necessary. Your divorce attorney needs expertise in the field of family law, divorce law and mediation. After hiring an attorney sit down and give full disclosure of all your assets, liabilities and side of the divorcing story. Avoid those divorce attorneys who seem overly confident or who seem distracted and distant. You need someone who will give you complete and caring answers during this stressful, emotional and sad time.

DISCLAIMER: This is not legal advice, and should not be construed as legal advice or relied upon as legal advice.
Neill Marangi -  nmarangi@pacbell.net