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People who are contemplating divorce might be unsure about what to ask a divorce lawyer and how to identify important divorce questions.
Hiring an attorney is a big decision, but when representation is needed in a family law matter the decision is often much more personal. Below are some important divorce questions that you should consider as you focus on how to prepare for a divorce in New Jersey.
When making a decision about hiring a family law attorney it is important to remember that this person will have access to information about your personal life, including your marriage, your children, your mental health and your finances.
Top 10 questions to ask a divorce lawyer before hiring
It is important to select someone that you can relate to and who understands you, because trusting your family law attorney and having open communication with that person will allow you to work toward the best possible results. There are several questions that you should ask a family attorney before hiring that person.
- What percent of your cases go to trial?
- Who will handle my case?
- What are the details about billing?
- You want to ask the attorney that you’re consulting with how long they’ve been practicing and how much experience they have with specializing in family law matters.
- You will want to ask about their approach to divorce cases. You want to know whether or not your attorney focuses on settlement, and whether or not they practice alternatives to dispute resolution.
- You want to ask about assessment of the case and what information your lawyer will need from you initially, but also at various stages as the matter proceeds.
- You want to ask questions concerning communication and accessibility. How can you reach this person and what can you expect as far as a response to emails and phone calls. Will you have access to this person during the evenings and on weekends? How often do they check emails outside of business hours, do they schedule appointments in person or remotely and will they do this outside of business hours?
- How much will my divorce cost? You also want to ask questions about legal fees and costs. What is your retainer fee? It is important to understand the fee structure, and review the retainer agreement and to make sure that you can ask any questions about the retainer agreement. You should ask about the lawyers’ negotiation and litigation skills and how they approach efforts to settle cases. You should also ask questions about the attorney’s resource network and ask whether they have recommendations for therapists and financial advisors as well as other professionals that can help to support you during the process.
- You want to ask questions about the timeline, how long the process takes and what you can expect from the process. Being involved in any litigation can be consuming both emotionally and financially, so it is important to have an understanding about how long the process takes and how much time you will have to devote to court appearances and conferences and being available for different events.
- You may also want to attempt to obtain information about client references, including testimonials and reviews. Sometimes there are client testimonials available online, often on lawyers’ websites.
Below are some additional important divorce questions to consider.
- How much will my divorce entail?
- Can I represent myself in a divorce?
- What is custody?
- What are the types of divorce cases?
- What is legal separation?
- Can you explain equitable distribution, including real estate assets?
- How do uncontested divorces and adultery affect divorce proceedings?
- What if my case doesn’t settle?
- Should I go to trial?
- Are our divorce records public?
- Can experts help my case?
- Can I date during my divorce?
Sometimes when people are consulting with a divorce attorney they have important divorce questions about changing lawyers during a divorce. Sometimes it is necessary to change attorneys during a divorce and you will want to ask important divorce questions, focusing on retaining someone that has not been involved from the inception of your matter.
Here at DeTorres & DeGeorge, we specialize in family law matters. We understand the important divorce questions that you will have as you embark on this phase of your life and you focus on how to choose a divorce attorney. Contact us today to schedule a consultation. We are here to help.
